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Former Democratic lawmakers Andrew Wan on the left, Lam Cheuk-ting on the left and Helena Wong on the right at a news conference after being released on bail.
AP Photo / Kin Cheung, file
The United States joined Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada on Sunday in condemning the recent arrest of dozens of pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong.
Fifty-five people – including US human rights lawyer John Clancey – rallied last week to run in informal elections for legislative elections, in violation of a Chinese law aimed at reducing dissent in semi-autonomous Hong Kong.
“It is clear that the National Security Act is being used to eliminate dissent and opposing political opposition,” US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and his counterparts from the other three nations said in a joint letter issued Sunday.
“We call on the Hong Kong and Chinese central authorities to respect the legally guaranteed rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong without fear of arrest and detention.”
Those arrested under the law were not officially charged and almost all were released without bail.
The Hong Kong government backed down with its own statement, defending law enforcement.
“We are horrified by the remarks made by some overseas government officials who seemed to suggest that people with certain political beliefs should be immune to legal sanctions,” the statement said.
In 2019, Hong Kong was shaken by months of often violent protests calling for a more democratic government.
The Chinese Communist Party came under fire for increasingly oppressive practices, even while being tried by nations such as the United States.
With Post threads