Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam vows response on extradition bill human rights concerns

Hong Kong’s leader has vowed to respond to calls for more human rights safeguards in the government’s controversial extradition bill before Saturday, while dismissing concerns expressed by foreign diplomats in the city as exaggerated. Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor also said on Tuesday the government would push on with the bill despite the public backlash. “No matter how much political criticism I’m getting personally, I still think this is worth doing,” Lam said. The amendment bill, which would allow suspects to be transferred to authorities in mainland China and other jurisdictions with which the city has no extradition agreement, brought tens of thousands of protesters to the streets last month. Its opponents say it could leave Hongkongers at risk of unfair prosecution in other jurisdictions, particularly the mainland. Another march, where organisers hope for a turnout of 300,000, is scheduled for June 9. Lam said the government had been looking into calls for more safeguards to be provided under the amendments. On Monday, the Hong Kong General Chamber of Commerce (HKGCC) urged officials to revise the bill so only people suspected of crimes punishable by seven years or more could be extradited – up from the three years currently in the bill. The chamber also said local courts should be required to take into account requesting countries’ human rights records. There has been anxiety and worry in society. We can hear them and will make a response Chief Executive Carrie Lam Pro-establishment lawmakers, such as the Federation of Trade Unions’ Wong Kwok-kin, said earlier the government should only process extradition requests from the mainland’s top court. Lam said the government would respond “within days”, adding that both the HKGCC and the pro-establishment camp supported the bill. “In principle, they support the bill, and after I have explained [the bill], they think it has to be done – more so after the controversy,” Lam said. “In any case, there has been anxiety and worry in society. We can hear them and will make a response.” She also noted the government’s deadline to amend the bill before its second reading resumes on June 12 would be this Saturday. While Lam gave no details on what a response might look like, Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah said on Sunday the government would consider including a requirement that a requesting jurisdiction would guarantee suspects a fair trial. But Cheng suggested at the time the requirement would not be included in the bill’s wording, but only carried out after it passes the Legislative Council. Tycoon gets nod to hire top British lawyer for fight over fugitives bill Meanwhile, after more than 30 top foreign envoys in Hong Kong, including Kurt Tong from the US and the European Union’s Carmen Cano, visited the Legislative Council on Monday, rival lawmakers agreed that some voiced concerns about the bill. The EU also gave Lam a formal note last week, urging more safeguards be provided under the bill. Lam, however, said diplomats’ worries were “exaggerated”. “They were worried that visitors from their countries, who are passing through Hong Kong, could be extradited to the mainland arbitrarily,” Lam said. She said that was not a danger, as the transfer process under the proposed bill would take a long time. The chief executive also said she was set to meet more diplomats soon. Speaking after the annual general meeting of Henderson Land Development on Tuesday, co-chairman of the developer, Peter Lee Ka-kit, said they would support the extradition bill. “The SAR government has made it very clear: the bill is to plug loopholes in the law and to manifest justice,” Peter Lee said. “We cannot think of any reason to not support it. We should not worry [about it].” When asked if they worried the bill would lead to capital and businessmen fleeing the city, Lee, the elder son of tycoon Lee Shau-kee, dismissed those concerns. “People have their own ideas,” he said. “But we don’t think there is much of a problem.” Additional reporting by Lam Ka Sing