US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo assails China for its treatment of the ‘Hong Kong 12’
- Ten pro-democracy activists were sentenced to jail terms on Wednesday, while two underage fugitives were returned to Hong Kong
- Pompeo seeks release of those ‘who tried to flee this tyranny’, saying they ‘deserved a hero’s welcome abroad, not capture, a secret trial and prison sentences’
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo assailed the Chinese government on Thursday and called authorities in Hong Kong “lackeys” for the treatment of a group of fugitives known as the “Hong Kong 12”.
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“Hong Kong was a thriving territory until the Chinese Communist Party and its local lackeys destroyed its rule of law and eviscerated the Hong Kong people’s freedoms,” Pompeo declared.
“The ‘Hong Kong 12’ who tried to flee this tyranny deserved a hero’s welcome abroad, not capture, a secret trial and prison sentences. The United States strongly condemns the Shenzhen court’s actions and calls for the 10 members of the group who were sentenced to jail terms to be immediately and unconditionally released.”
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The law criminalises a broad range of behaviours under the four categories of secession, terrorism, subversion and collusion with foreign powers. Opposition politicians and critics warn it could be used to suppress dissent and erode freedoms in the city.
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Eight of the 12 fugitives were accused of illegally crossing the border, and two – Tang Kai-yin and Quinn Moon, the sole woman in the group – were charged with organising the crime. Tang was sentenced to a three-year prison term, while Quinn received two years. The other eight were each jailed for seven months.
All but one of the 12 fugitives, aged 16 to 33, had already been charged in Hong Kong with offences arising from last year’s anti-government protests. Activist Andy Li has not been formally charged, but was arrested in August on suspicion of money laundering and collusion with foreign forces, an offence under the Beijing-imposed national security law.
“The CCP’s persecution of the Hong Kong 12 – two of whom were juveniles at the time of their arrest – exposes once again Beijing’s brutality, blatant disregard for the international treaties it has signed, and its disdain for the rights of the Hong Kong people,” Pompeo said.
