Over 85 human rights organisations sign joint statement urging government action in response to latest arrest warrants and bounties on Hong Kong pro-democracy activists
Hong Kong Watch and 86 other Hong Kong civil society and human rights organisations from around the world have signed a joint statement urging government action in response to the latest round of Hong Kong National Security arrest warrants and bounties announced on 14 December 2023.
In the statement, they call on governments to introduce measures to protect the rights of and freedoms of Hong Kong activists in exile, particularly those who have been granted asylum and face past and current threats from Beijing.
They condemn the recent targeting of peaceful pro-democracy activists including Joey Siu, who is a US citizen now residing in the US, as well as Frances Hui and Simon Cheng, who fled from Hong Kong to the US and UK, respectively.
They also “continue to condemn the targeting of Nathan Law, Dennis Kwok, Ted Hui, Kevin Yam, Anna Kwok, Finn Lau, Elmer Yuen, and Christopher Mung”.
They call on governments, specifically of the United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and European Union, to continue to reiterate that the Hong Kong National Security Law does not apply in their jurisdictions, condemn the latest arrest warrants and bounties and reaffirm that they are not valid in their jurisdictions.
“This is the latest escalation in the National Security Law, which was imposed by Beijing in 2020 and has been condemned by many governments and multiple UN Committees. So far, 260 people have been arrested under the National Security Law,” the joint statement notes.
“This is also the latest escalation in transnational repression against Hong Kongers, many of whom have faced attacks and harassment from the Chinese Communist Party and its agents, across various jurisdictions.”
The groups urge governments to raise the topic of Hong Kong in their recommendations to China at the UN Universal Periodic Review, which will take place on 23 January 2024.
They also urge governments to suspend the remaining extradition treaties that exist between democracies and the Hong Kong and Chinese Governments and work towards coordinating an INTERPOL early warning system to protect Hong Kongers and other dissidents abroad.
Last Thursday, after the Hong Kong police force issued arrest warrants for five pro-democracy activists including Joey Siu, Frances Hui and Simon Cheng, alongside a bounty of HK$1 million per individual for information that could lead to their arrest under the National Security Law, the Hong Kong Government said in a statement, “Fugitives should not have any delusion that they could evade legal liabilities by absconding from Hong Kong. Fugitives will be pursued for life unless they turn themselves in.”
The full letter is available here.
香港監察聯同逾80個人權組織發聯合聲明 呼籲各國政府採取行動回應再有海外港人被通緝
香港監察聯同86個來自世界各地的香港民間社會和人權組織簽署了一份聯合聲明，敦促政府採取行動，回應在2023年12月14日宣布的最新一輪《國安法》懸紅通緝令。
聯署組織在聲明中呼籲各國政府採取措施保障流亡海外香港社運人士的權利和自由，尤其是已獲得政治庇護並曾遭受北京威脅的人士。
他們譴責港府近日針對和平民主派社運人士，其中包括現居美國的美國公民邵嵐（Joey Siu），以及分別離港前往美國和英國的許穎婷（Frances Hui）和鄭文傑（Simon Cheng）。
各個組織同時「繼續譴責針對羅冠聰、郭榮鏗、許智峯、任建峰、郭鳯儀、劉祖廸、袁弓夷和蒙兆達的打壓」。
聯署組織呼籲英國、美國、加拿大、澳洲、紐西蘭和歐洲聯盟等多國政府重申《國安法》不適用於其司法管轄區，並譴責港府發出懸紅通緝令，強調這些手令在其司法管轄區並無法律效力。
聲明指出：「這是北京自2020年實施《國安法》後的最新升級行動，此法已受到多國政府和多個聯合國委員會譴責。到目前為止，已有260人因《國安法》被捕。
此舉也是跨國鎮壓香港人的最新升級行動，當中無數港人亦曾在不同司法管轄區受到中共及其特工的攻擊和騷擾。」
這些組織敦促各國政府在2024年1月23日舉行的聯合國普遍定期審議中，向中國提出香港議題相關建議。
他們同時敦促一眾民主國家政府中止其餘與香港和中國的引渡條約，並致力協調國際刑警組織預警機制，以保護香港人和其他海外異見人士。
上週四（14日），香港警方宣布通緝邵嵐、許穎婷、鄭文傑等五名社運人士，並各懸紅100萬港元。其後，香港政府發聲明表示：「任何逃犯都不要妄想潛逃離港就可以逃避刑責。逃犯除非自首，否則會被終身追捕。」
請按此閱讀聯合聲明全文。
The joint statement was signed by over 80 organisations, including:
逾80個聯署組織包括：
Action Free Hong Kong Montreal
AfricaHongKongFrance (AHKF)
Alberta Uyghur Association
Amnesty International UK
Association of Hong Kongers in Western Australia
Australia Hong Kong Link
Australia Capital Hong Kong Association
Australian Uyghur Association
Blossom Community HK CIC 大樹下合作社
Britons in Hong Kong
Campaign For Uyghurs
Canadian Friends of Hong Kong
Center For Uyghur Studies
Chicago Solidarity with Hong Kong 芝援香港
China Aid Association
Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD)
Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation
Democracy for Hong Kong (D4HK)
DC4HK (Washingtonians supporting Hong Kong)
Freedom House
Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong.
Finnish Hongkongers
Free Tibet
Freiheit für Hongkong e.V.
Germany Stands with Hong Kong
Global Alliance for Tibet & Persecuted Minorities
Halifax-Hong Kong Link
Hackney Chinese Community Services (HCCS)
HearthTalk UK
HKersUnited
Hong Kong Aid 港援
Hong Kong Assistance and Resettlement Community (HKARC)
Hong Kong Centre for Human Rights
Hong Kong Committee in Norway
Hong Kong Democracy Council
Hong Kong Forum, Los Angeles
Hong Kong International Alliance Brisbane (HKIA Brisbane)
Hong Kong Labour Rights Monitor
Hong Kong Outlanders in Taiwan
Hong Kong Professional Network
Hong Kong Revolution Power
Hong Kong Watch
Hong Kong in Chester
Hongkonger in Deutschland e.V.
Hongkongers in Britain 英國港僑協會
HongKongers in Leeds
Human Rights Foundation
Human Rights in China
Humanitarian China
International Campaign for Tibet
International Tibet Network
Japan Hong Kong Democracy Alliance
June 4 Sparks
Lady Liberty Hong Kong
Le Comité pour la Liberté à Hong-Kong
Manchester Stands With Hong Kong
New Yorkers Supporting Hong Kong
NGO DEI
Northern California Hong Kong Club
Nottingham Stands with Hong Kong
Philly4HK
Power to Hongkongers
Safeguard Defenders
Salford HongKongers
Scottish Hongkongers
Southampton Hongkongers
Students For Hong Kong
Students For a Free Tibet International
Stop Uyghur Genocide
Taiwan HK Association
Texans Supporting Hong Kong - TX4HK
The 29 Principles
The Dissident Project
The Hong Kong Scots
Tibetan Community in Britain
Tibet Initiative Deutschland
Tibet Justice Center
Tibet Solidarity
Torontonian HongKongers Action Group
Trafford Hongkongers CIC
UK Uyghur Community
US Hongkongers Club
Uyghur Human Rights Project
Victoria HongKongers Association (Australia) 澳洲維港
We the Hongkongers
World Uyghur Congress