JOINT STATEMENT FROM HONG KONG GROUPS ON THE HONG KONG NATIONAL SECURITY ARREST WARRANTS AND BOUNTIES
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We, the undersigned, representing Hong Kong civil society and human rights organisations across the world, condemn the Hong Kong National Security arrest warrants and bounties announced on 14 December 2023.
These Hong Kong National Security Police issued arrest warrants and bounties for five Hong Kong pro-democracy activists living overseas, are further evidence that this draconian law is being used extraterritorially and retrospectively to silence pro-democracy voices and intimidate the Hong Kong community overseas.
In particular, we condemn the targeting of peaceful pro-democracy activists Joey Siu, Frances Hui, and Simon Cheng.
We continue to condemn the targeting of Nathan Law, Dennis Kwok, Ted Hui, Kevin Yam, Anna Kwok, Finn Lau, Elmer Yuen, and Christopher Mung, and the bounties issued in their names and urge democratic countries to introduce measures to protect these individuals and the Hong Kong community as a whole from transnational repression at the hands of the People’s Republic of China.
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.
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.
We urge the governments of the United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and European Union countries, to introduce measures to protect the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong activists in exile, particularly those who have been granted asylum and faced past threats from Beijing.
We urge these governments, and in particular the governments of the United Kingdom and the United States of America where these five reside, to continue to reiterate that the Hong Kong National Security Law does not apply in their jurisdictions, and condemn the latest arrest warrants and bounties and reaffirm that they are not valid in their jurisdictions.
We urge these governments, and others, 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.
Finally, we 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. Hong Kong activists in exile must be protected in their peaceful fight for basic human rights, freedoms and democracy.
Signatories (in alphabetical order)
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
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 DefendersSalford HongKongers
Scottish Hongkongers
Southampton Hongkongers
Students For Hong Kong
Stop Uyghur Genocide
Texans Supporting Hong Kong – TX4HK
The 29 Principles
The Dissident Project
The Hong Kong Scots
Tibet Solidarity
Tibetan Community in Britain
Tibet Initiative Deutschland
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