90 international parliamentarians and public figures condemn the passage of Article 23 legislation in Hong Kong

A cross-party international coalition of 90 parliamentarians and public figures issued a statement today condemning the Hong Kong government’s passage of the Safeguarding National Security Bill under Article 23 of the Basic Law of Hong Kong. 

The signatories include the last British Governor of Hong Kong Lord Patten of Barnes, former British Foreign Secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind, former Polish Foreign Minister Anna Fotyga MEP, former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of Canada Irwin Cotler, the Director of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute Baroness Helena Kennedy, KC, United States Senator Marco Rubio and the Chair of the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China Representative Chris Smith, as well as other signatories from the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, across the European Union, South Korea and Malaysia.

The coalition calls for supportive governments to unite against this “flagrant breach of the Basic Law of Hong Kong, the Sino-British Joint Declaration, and international human rights law.”

Hong Kong Watch urges governments to implement policies to support Hong Kongers in Hong Kong and the diaspora, to hold targeted officials accountable, and to consider the policy recommendations set out in the quotes and statement below. 

Lord Patten of Barnes, the last British Governor of Hong Kong and a Patron of Hong Kong Watch, said:

“Another large nail in the coffin of human rights and the rule of law in Hong Kong and a further disgraceful breach of the Joint Declaration. Why should anyone believe any promises from Xi Jinping’s totalitarian regime on anything? Governments and parliaments around the world will take note and so will international investors. Meanwhile the wonderful and talented Hong Kongers who have taken refuge to our benefit in Britain and elsewhere will be confirmed in their decision. They are witnesses to the way in which real Chinese patriots believe in freedom and a decent life for their children.”

US Senator Marco Rubio said: 

“The Chinese Communist Party stops at nothing to undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy and democracy. As Beijing’s aggressive erosion of Hong Kongers’ basic freedoms continues, the international community must unite in condemnation of these actions and fight for justice and accountability.”

Ambassador Sam Brownback, former United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom and a Patron of Hong Kong Watch, said:

“This legislation will wipe away the last vestiges of a free and independent Hong Kong. The people of Hong Kong continue to see their civil liberties trampled upon by Beijing and the territory’s government. It is especially alarming that this bill would undermine the sacred act of confession and seek to turn priests into government spies.”

Ambassador Derek Mitchell, former President of the National Democratic Institute and a Patron of Hong Kong Watch, said:

“Hong Kong’s proposed new legislation under Article 23 will continue the makeover of the territory into a regressive arm of the People’s Republic of China at the tragic expense of the people and economy of Hong Kong. Aside from giving the lie to the People’s Republic of China’s international commitment to respect Hong Kong’s “high degree of autonomy” and “one country, two systems,” this legislation demonstrates yet again that the PRC’s values are antithetical to freedom and basic human dignity, and its word is worth little. People everywhere must take note – and stay true to the Hong Kong people come what may.”

Hong Kong Watch Patron Sarah Champion MP said: 

“Hong Kong’s basic freedoms and human rights, as well as the rule of law and autonomy, have been severely undermined over the past four years as a result of the draconian National Security Law. Introducing further security legislation will mean an intensification in repression, especially as the proposed law is entirely inconsistent with international human rights standards. The international community must not be silent in the face of the rapid continuing transformation of what was once one of Asia’s most open societies into one of its most authoritarian police states.”

Hong Kong Watch Patron Miriam Lexmann MEP said: 

“This is a dark day for the fundamental rights of Hong Kongers. The Chinese Communist Party, together with John Lee and its other stooges, have destroyed the city’s autonomy, freedoms and the rule of law. Now they are cynically trying to legitimise their oppression. The international community must stand with the people of Hong Kong, and spell out the consequences of such actions, including by finally imposing targeted sanctions on John Lee and all other Chinese and Hong Kong officials responsible. Let this also serve as yet another lesson about the threats posed by the Chinese Communist Party to freedom and democracy around the world.”

Tom Kmiec MP, Canadian Shadow Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Refugees, said: 

“Under Beijing’s pressure, the Hong Kong government fast-tracks the overly broad and draconian Article 23 legislation, marking the erosion of freedom and autonomy in the city. The brutal Communist Party breaking its promise of “One country, Two systems” reminds the world that we have to keep standing in solidarity with the Hong Kong people, who are fighting for their rights and democracy against oppressive forces.”

Hong Kong Watch co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Benedict Rogers said: 

“This death knell against the remaining freedoms in Hong Kong should be of grave concern to us all. We hope that this international response from policymakers and public figures around the world will send a clear message to the Hong Kong and Beijing officials that the world is still watching, and will not tolerate their egregious violations under international law. 

Specifically, we urge the international community to address the new threats posed by Article 23 legislation by imposing targeted sanctions, broadening lifeboat schemes for Hong Kongers, ensuring that the law is not applicable overseas and used for transnational repression, and reviewing Hong Kong’s special status including the status of Hong Kong Economic and Trade Offices.”

Joint statement from 90 signatories

As parliamentarians and public figures from around the world, we express grave concerns regarding the enactment of new national security legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law in Hong Kong. 

New legislation under Article 23 will bring a further devastating blow to the city’s autonomy, rule of law, rights and fundamental freedoms, beyond the impact of the National Security Law imposed by Beijing in 2020. The new law prohibits seven types of activities which the Hong Kong officials intend to declare as ‘offences’, under vague and expansive provisions which will criminalise the peaceful exercise of human rights. The legislation undermines due process and fair trial rights and violates Hong Kong’s obligations under international human rights law, jeopardising Hong Kong’s role as an open international city.

Today we echo calls from the international community for the Hong Kong government to repeal the 2020 National Security Law and cease prosecution of individuals charged with offences under the National Security Law; ensure compliance with international legal obligations and ensure that any restrictions on the basic rights of the people of Hong Kong on national security grounds should be legal, legitimate, and proportional, and ensure that legislation is consistent with the protection of international human rights laws and standards.

Governments must unite to say that this flagrant breach of the Basic Law of Hong Kong, the Sino-British Joint Declaration, and international human rights law cannot be tolerated. We must uphold the rules-based international order and hold Hong Kong and Beijing officials accountable for their violations.

Signatories in alphabetical order

Europe

UK

The Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench), Vice-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hong Kong and Patron of Hong Kong Watch 

The Baroness Bennett of Manor Castle (Green), Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hong Kong and former Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales 

Bob Blackman MP (Conservative)

Paul Blomfield MP (Labour)

The Baroness Brinton (Liberal Democrat), former President of the Liberal Democrats

Alistair Carmichael MP (Liberal Democrat), Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hong Kong and Patron of Hong Kong Watch

Sarah Champion MP (Labour), Chair of the House of Commons International Development Committee and Patron of Hong Kong Watch

Elliot Colburn MP (Conservative)

The Baroness Cox (Crossbench), former Deputy Speaker of the House of Lords

Sir Iain Duncan Smith MP (Conservative), Co-Chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) and former Leader of the Conservative Party

Sir Michael Fabricant MP (Conservative)

Stephen Farry MP (Alliance), Deputy Leader of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland

Caoilfhionn Gallagher KC, Barrister

Richard Graham CMG MP

The Lord Hain (Labour), former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 

The Baroness Hodgson of Abinger (Conservative)

Alicia Kearns MP (Conservative), Chair of the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee

The Baroness Kennedy of the Shaws, KC (Labour), Director of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute

The Baroness Lister of Burtersett, CBE (Labour), Professor of Social Policy at Loughborough University 

Tim Loughton MP (Conservative), Chair of the Conservative Party Human Rights Commission

Caroline Lucas MP (Green), former Leader of the Green Party of England and Wales

John McDonnell MP (Labour), former Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer

Sir Geoffrey Nice, KC, barrister and Patron of Hong Kong Watch

Neil O’Brien MP (Conservative), former Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department of Health and Social Care

Sarah Olney MP (Liberal Democrat), Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Treasury and Business, Industry and Industrial Strategy

The Lord Patten of Barnes (Conservative), last British Governor of Hong Kong and Patron of Hong Kong Watch

Tom Randall MP (Conservative)

The Lord Ricketts (Crossbench), former Permanent Secretary at the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, former National Security Advisor, former Ambassador to France 

Sir Malcolm Rifkind, KC, former Foreign Secretary and former Member of Parliament, Patron of Hong Kong Watch

The Lord Shinkwin (Conservative)

Alex Sobel MP (Labour), former Shadow Minister for Nature Recovery and the Domestic Environment

Nadia Whittome MP (Labour)

Ireland

Senator Malcolm Byrne (Fianna Fáil), Co-Chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC)

Senator Barry Ward (Fine Gael), Vice-Chair of the Oireachtas (Irish Parliament) Justice Committee and practising barrister

EU

Patrick Breyer MEP (Greens, Germany)

Pascal Durand MEP (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, France)

Engin Eroglu MEP (Renew Europe, Germany)

Anna Fotyga MEP (European Conservatives & Reformists, Poland), former Foreign Secretary of Poland 

Michael Gahler MEP (European People’s Party, Germany)

Marketa Gregorová MEP (Greens, Czechia)

Francisco Guerreiro MEP (Greens, Portugal)

Rasa Juknevičienė MEP (European People’s Party, Lithuania), former Defence Minister of Lithuania

Andrius Kubilius MEP (European People’s Party, Lithuania), former Prime Minister of Lithuania

Pierre Larrouturou MEP (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, France)

David Lega MEP (European People's Party, Sweden)

Miriam Lexmann MEP (European People’s Party, Slovakia), Co-Chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC) and Patron of Hong Kong Watch

Jan-Christoph Oetjen MEP (Renew Europe, Germany), Vice-President of the European Parliament

Kira Peter-Hansen MEP (Greens, Denmark)

Thijs Reuten MEP (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Netherlands)

Isabel Santos MEP (Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, Portugal)

Jordi Solé MEP (Greens, Spain)

Dragoș Tudorache MEP (Renew Europe, Romania)

Hilde Vautmans MEP (Renew Europe, Belgium), President of European Liberal Forum 

Germany

Michael Brand MdB (CDU)

Marcel Emmerich MdB (Greens)

Gyde Jensen MdB (FDP)

Katja Hessel MdB (FDP)

Roderich Kiesewetter MdB (CDU)

Boris Mijatović MdB (Greens), Spokesperson for Human Rights Policy and Humanitarian Aid of the Greens 

Frank Müller-Rosentritt MdB (FDP)

Michael Roth MdB (SPD), Chair of the Bundestag Foreign Affairs Committee

Derya Türk-Nachbauer MdB (SPD)

France

Constance Le Grip MP (Ensemble)

Asia

Korea

Jung-Hoon Lee, former Ambassador of the Republic of Korea for Human Rights in North Korea and Patron of Hong Kong Watch

Malaysia

Andrew Khoo, Advocate and Solicitor, High Court of Malaya, Malaysia

North America

US

Representative Don Bacon (R-NE), Chairman, Quality of Life Panel, House Armed Services Committe

Ambassador Sam Brownback, former United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom, former Governor of Kansas and former Senator and Patron of Hong Kong Watch

Senator John Cornyn (R-TX), Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on International Trade, Customs, and Global Competitiveness

Representative Mike Gallagher (R-WI), Chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party

Representative Young Kim (R-CA), Chairwoman of the Subcommittee on the Indo-Pacific and House Foreign Affairs Committee

Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-IL),  Ranking Member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party

Ambassador Derek Mitchell, former United States Ambassador to Myanmar, former President of the National Democratic Institute and Patron of Hong Kong Watch

Representative Blake Moore (R-UT), Vice Chair of the House Republican Conference

Representative Seth Moulton (D-MA), Senior Member of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party

Senator James Risch (R-ID), Ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee

Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), Senior member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations

Representative Adam B. Schiff (D-CA), Co-Chair of the Freedom of the Press Caucus

Representative Chris Smith (R-NJ), Chair of the Congressional-Executive Commission on China

Senator Dan Sullivan (R-AK), Senior Member of the Congressional-Executive Committee on China and Chairman of the International Republican Institute

Canada

James Bezan MP (Conservative), Shadow Minister for National Defence and Patron of Hong Kong Watch

Michael Cooper MP (Conservative), Shadow Minister for Democratic Reform

Professor Irwin Cotler (Liberal), former Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of Canada, former Member of Parliament, Chair of the Raoul Wallenberg Centre for Human Rights and Patron of Hong Kong Watch

Greg McLean MP (Conservative)

Senator Pierre J. Dalphond (Progressive Senate Group)

Senator Leo Housakos (Conservative), Patron of Hong Kong Watch, former Speaker of the Senate 

Tom Kmiec MP (Conservative), Shadow Minister for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship

Melissa Lantsman MP (Conservative), Deputy Leader of the Opposition and Patron of Hong Kong Watch 

John McKay MP (Liberal) 

Former Senator Jim Munson (Liberal), former member of the Senate of Canada, former Whip of the Senate Liberal Caucus, former Chair of the Senate Human Rights Committee and Patron of Hong Kong Watch

Judy Sgro MP (Liberal), former Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship of Canada

90名國際國會議員及公眾人物聯署譴責港府通過23條立法

90名跨黨派國際國會議員及公眾人物今天發表聯署聲明，譴責香港政府通過《基本法》第23條《維護國家安全條例草案》。

聯署人包括前香港總督彭定康勳爵（Lord Patten of Barnes）、前英國外交大臣聶偉敬爵士（Sir Malcolm Rifkind）、前波蘭外交部長、歐洲議會議員Anna Fotyga MEP、前加拿大司法部長暨檢察總長Irwin Cotler、國際律師協會人權研究所所長、御用大律師肯尼迪女男爵（Baroness Helena Kennedy）、美國參議員Marco Rubio和美國國會及行政當局中國委員會（Congressional-Executive Commission on China）主席、眾議員Chris Smith，以及其他來自英國、美國、加拿大、歐盟、韓國和馬來西亞的聯署人。

聯署人呼籲支持香港的政府聯合起來，反對這種「公然違反《香港基本法》、《中英聯合聲明》和國際人權法的行為」。

香港監察促請各國政府推行支援香港和海外港人的政策，點名追究相關官員的責任，並考慮下列評論和聲明所提出的政策建議。

香港監察贊助人、前港督彭定康勳爵表示：

「這又在香港人權與法治的棺材上釘下一根大釘，並進一步違反《中英聯合聲明》，行為可恥。為甚麼要相信習近平的極權政權對任何事情的任何承諾呢？世界各國的政府和國會都會引以為戒，國際投資者亦然。同時，優秀而有才華的香港人到英國及其他地方尋求避風港並造福當地社區，會知道此乃正確決定。他們見證了真正的中國愛國者如何相信自由，並讓子女過體面生活。」

美國參議員Marco Rubio表示：

「中國共產黨不擇手段地破壞香港自治與民主。北京持續大肆侵犯香港人的基本自由，國際社會必須聯合起來譴責這些行徑，爭取公義和問責。」

香港監察贊助人、歐洲議會議員Miriam Lexmann MEP表示：

「對香港人的基本權利來說，這是黑暗的一天。中國共產黨夥同李家超及其他傀儡，一起破壞香港自治、自由和法治。他們現正冷血地試圖使壓迫變得合法。國際社會必須支持香港人，闡明這種種行徑的後果，包括最終點名制裁李家超及所有其他負責中港官員。我們要把這化為教訓，認清中共對全世界自由與民主構成的威脅。」

加拿大影子移民部長Tom Kmiec MP表示：

「在北京的壓力下，香港政府火速推展過於廣泛且嚴苛的23條立法，標誌着香港自由與自治受到侵蝕。殘暴的共產黨違背了『一國兩制』的承諾，提醒世界：我們必須繼續與香港人站在同一陣線，他們正對抗壓迫勢力，爭取權利與民主。」