European Parliament passes urgency resolution condemning Article 23 and calling for lifeboat schemes for Hong Kongers in the EU

Today, the European Parliament passed an urgency resolution which strongly condemns Hong Kong’s recent passage of the Safeguarding National Security Bill and ongoing implementation of the Beijing-imposed 2020 National Security Law. The resolution urges the Hong Kong government to immediately and unconditionally release Andy Li, Jimmy Lai, Joseph John, Kok Tsz-lun and all other political prisoners in Hong Kong who are detained for exercising their internationally-guaranteed rights and freedoms. 

Specifically, the resolution calls attention to the case of Andy Li, who recently testified in the case of Jimmy Lai. When Mr Li took the stand on 13 March 2024, there was an international outcry following claims that evidence from Mr Li had been obtained through torture while in a Shenzhen prison from 2020 to 2021, including being allegedly subject to restraint chairs (tiger chairs) to force confessions. The resolution references the United Nations Special Rapporteur on torture Dr Alice Jill Edwards writing to the Government of the People’s Republic of China to address these claims.

The resolution details the case of Joseph John, also known as Wong Kin-chung, who became the first European and Hong Kong dual national to be convicted under the 2020 National Security Law in Hong Kong on 11 April 2024. Mr John is a Portuguese citizen who was sentenced to 60 months in jail for alleged incitement to secession for managing the Hong Kong Independence Party’s social media accounts between July 2020 and November 2022. 

The resolution also denounces the recent deportation of Polish national Aleksandra Bielakowska from Hong Kong upon arrival. Ms Bielakowska is a Taipei-based Advocacy Officer for Reporters Without Borders who intended to monitor the trial of Jimmy Lai.

Hong Kong Watch welcomes the European Parliament urging all EU member states to introduce lifeboat schemes for Hong Kong activists and to suspend extradition treaties with the People’s Republic of China (PRC) and Hong Kong. This week, Hong Kong Watch published a briefing calling on EU member states to implement lifeboat schemes specific to Hong Kongers given that 1.86 million Hong Kongers still do not have a lifeline out of the city. The briefing also emphasises the importance of EU member states suspending active extradition treaties with the PRC and Hong Kong to ensure that no Hong Konger who flees from persecution in Hong Kong or anyone else has to face extradition to Mainland China or Hong Kong.

Hong Kong Watch also welcomes the European Parliament calling on the European Council to review the 2020 Council Conclusions on Hong Kong, including the need to impose sanctions on Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime.

Earlier this week, the European Parliament overwhelmingly passed a new regulation to ‘Prohibiting products made with forced labour on the Union market’. In January, Hong Kong Watch published a briefing, Huawei and BYD Meet Hong Kong: Economic, Ethical, and Security Risks to the EU, which calls on the European Parliament to adopt this regulation to effectively ban Huawei and BYD products, and factories, from entering the EU market due to their connection to forced labour in Xinjiang and human rights violations to Hong Kong.

Miriam Lexmann MEP, Hong Kong Watch Patron and Co-Chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC), said:

“Article 23 is the final nail in the coffin for fundamental human rights and free society in Hong Kong. Beijing, together with its lackeys in the Hong Kong administration, have destroyed the city’s freedoms; they broke international agreements; and they have either locked up or forced to flee the brightest of the city’s citizens. 

What has happened in Hong Kong is both a telling example of how the totalitarian regime works, but it is also a warning for us all. The daily attempts to undermine our democracies, including in this House, shine true light on this regime and its aims. They will not stop. 

This is why we need urgent EU action on Hong Kong, particularly, holding accountable those Chinese and Hong Kong officials, like John Lee, responsible for the destruction of freedom in the city. Moreover, we need stronger protection of our citizens, including dual nationals, targeted by Chinese transnational oppression.”

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

“We express our gratitude to every MEP who led and voted in favour of a resolution that clearly stands in solidarity with Hong Kong in one of its darkest hours. The European Parliament must take this resolution seriously, including by liaising with their respective EU member state to introduce lifeboat schemes specific to Hong Kongers following the passage of Article 23 legislation. The European Parliament should also continue to closely monitor the cases and call for the immediate and unconditional release of Andy Li, Jimmy Lai, Joseph John, and all political prisoners in Hong Kong.”

歐洲議會通過緊急決議譴責23條 呼籲為港人推出救生艇計劃

4月24日，歐洲議會通過緊急決議，強烈譴責香港最近通過的《維護國家安全條例》（俗稱23條）和北京2020年實施至今的《國家安全法》。有關決議促請香港政府立即無條件釋放李宇軒、黎智英、黃煡聰、郭子麟及所有其他因行使國際保障權利和自由而被扣押的香港政治犯。

香港監察贊助人、對華政策跨國議會聯盟（IPAC）聯席主席、歐洲議會議員Miriam Lexmann MEP表示：

「23條是香港基本人權和自由社會棺材上的最後一根釘。北京及其身居香港政府要位的奴才摧毀了這座城市的自由；他們違反了國際協議；他們不是把聰慧的香港人關入監獄，就是強迫這些人離開。

香港發生的事情既是極權政權運作方式的力證，也是對我們所有人的警告。他們每日都企圖破壞我們的民主制度，包括在這個議會，這種行徑讓我們看清這個政權及其目標。他們不會休止。

正因如此，我們需要歐盟對香港採取緊急行動，特別是向李家超等有份破壞香港自由的中港官員追究責任。此外，我們需要更有力地保護我們被中國跨國壓迫的公民，包括雙重國籍人士。」

香港監察共同創辦人兼行政總監羅傑斯（Benedict Rogers）表示：

「我們感謝每位帶領並投票贊成決議的歐洲議會議員，這項決議表明在香港黑暗時刻聲援香港。歐洲議會務必認真對待這項決議，方法包括與所屬歐盟成員國聯絡，因應23條立法通過推出專為香港人而設的救生艇計劃。歐洲議會亦應繼續密切關注案件，並呼籲立即無條件釋放李宇軒、黎智英、黃煡聰及所有香港政治犯。」