Hong Kong will look into real reasons for extradition requests before moving fugitives, justice minister Teresa Cheng says
- Department of Justice will consider whether requests have religious, racial or political motives, including hidden ones
- City will not transfer political fugitives, Cheng says hours before controversial bill receives first reading at Hong Kong’s legislature
Hong Kong will dig deep into extradition requests and ensure no fugitives are transferred for political, religious or ethnic reasons, the city’s justice chief said on Wednesday, as concerns persisted over a push to dramatically broaden the range of countries suspects can be handed over to.
Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah gave the assurance ahead of the first reading of the new fugitive bill at the Legislative Council that was greeted by a chorus of protest from pan-democrat lawmakers.
Under the proposed legislation, both the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance would be amended to allow the transfer of fugitives to jurisdictions the city lacks an extradition deal with, including mainland China, Macau and Taiwan.
While both ordinances state a fugitive should not be surrendered to a foreign jurisdiction for racial, religious and political reasons, critics raised the possibility of governments fabricating reasons to seek such transfers.
Cheng said the Department of Justice (DOJ) would look beyond the surface of each case.
“If the reason is religious, racial or political, whether obvious or hidden … we will take that into account,” Cheng said. “We will not transfer political fugitives.”