Thursday 21 / November / 2024
Beijing: The US, UK, and Australian governments, along with the United Nations, condemned the sentencing of 45 democracy activists and former lawmakers to up to 10 years in prison for "subversion." This came amid increasing demands for tougher sanctions on Hong Kong and the broadening of visa programmes to assist those escaping the city's ongoing political repression.
According to a Radio Free Asia report, rights activists, family members, and Hong Kong's former colonial governor also denounced the sentences, which were imposed on pro-democracy activists for organising a primary in July 2020. They described the sentencing as part of an "unrelenting attack" on democracy and other freedoms in the region since its transfer from Britain to China in 1997.
In a statement on Tuesday, the US Department of State announced it is taking action to impose new visa restrictions on several Hong Kong officials involved in enforcing the 2020 National Security Law, which has been used to prosecute the activists. The statement called for the immediate and unconditional release of the 45 individuals and other political prisoners. It emphasised that these severe sentences undermine trust in Hong Kong's judicial system and damage the city's global standing.
British Foreign Office minister Catherine West also condemned the sentencing, calling it a clear example of Hong Kong authorities using the National Security Law to criminalise political dissent. She stated that those sentenced simply exercised their rights to freedom of speech, assembly, and political participation.
Senator Penny Wong, Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs and leader of the government in the Senate, expressed deep concern in a statement over the sentencing of the activists, including Australian citizen Gordon Ng. She called on China to end its suppression of freedoms such as expression, assembly, media, and civil society, in line with recommendations from the Human Rights Committee and Special Procedures. Wong also urged the repeal of the National Security Law in Hong Kong.
According to the report, the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR) stated that High Commissioner Volker Turk had called for an "urgent review" of the convictions and urged Hong Kong authorities to ensure they adhere to international human rights law, including safeguarding freedom of speech, peaceful assembly, and association. The OHCHR emphasised that national security laws should be precise in their scope and definition, allowing human rights restrictions only when absolutely necessary for a legitimate purpose and in a proportionate manner.
In response to the criticism during a regular press briefing on Tuesday, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Li Jian stated that "no one should be allowed to use 'democracy' as an excuse to engage in illegal activities and evade justice." He reiterated that the Central Government strongly supports Hong Kong in protecting national security and punishing any actions that threaten it, in accordance with the law. Li also expressed strong opposition to certain Western countries interfering in China's internal matters and attempting to tarnish Hong Kong's legal system.
Tuesday's sentencing was also condemned by Lord Patten of Barnes, the last British colonial governor of Hong Kong, who described it as "an affront to the people of Hong Kong." In a statement, he strongly criticised the "sham sentences," which followed a non-jury trial, highlighting the erosion of freedoms of assembly, expression, and the press in Hong Kong. He urged the UK government not to let the outcome of this case go unnoticed or unchallenged.
Canadian Senator Leo Housakos, a member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs, called the sentences a "grave injustice." In a statement shared by the London-based rights group Hong Kong Watch, he argued that the National Security Law and the prosecution of these activists undermine the core principles of freedom, human rights, and the rule of law.
Former politics lecturer Chan Kin-man, who co-founded the 2014 Occupy Central pro-democracy movement with key defendant Benny Tai, stated that none of those imprisoned, many of whom have been incarcerated for over three years, should have spent even a single day in jail. Referring to Tai, who was sentenced to 10 years in prison by the Hong Kong High Court on Tuesday, Chan said, "Benny worked tirelessly as a constitutional scholar to broaden the pro-democracy movement through peaceful means."
