Security chief John Lee defends Hong Kong’s fugitive extradition proposal, citing positive public feedback
- Of 4,500 submissions, 3,000 support allowing fugitive transfers to mainland China, Taiwan and Macau
- Former Chinese official presses for deal, saying more than 300 ‘important fugitives’ had fled to Hong Kong
Hong Kong’s security chief on Wednesday hit out at growing opposition to a government proposal to allow the transfer of fugitives from the city to mainland China, Taiwan and other jurisdictions not covered by existing extradition agreements, saying that two-thirds of 4,500 public submissions received so far supported the idea.
Secretary for Security John Lee Ka-chiu stuck to his guns on the proposal, as former Chinese vice-minister of public security Chen Zhimin stressed the need for such an arrangement by revealing that more than 300 “rather important fugitives” had fled across the border to Hong Kong.
Lee pointed to the case of Chan Tong-kai, a Hongkonger accused of killing his pregnant girlfriend in Taipei before fleeing home in February 2018.
“If some people try all possible means to make the Hong Kong government unable to send this suspect to face justice in Taiwan, I will be sad and disappointed. Because justice is justice, and politics should not override justice,” Lee said.
Lee said that the Taiwanese authorities had requested Chan’s extradition but that police and the Department of Justice were told by an appointed legal adviser they did not have sufficient evidence to take action against Chan in Hong Kong.