UK International Secretary Lammy, Dwelling Secretary Cooper name on China to cease concentrating on opposition voices residing in Britain.
The UK has condemned Hong Kong authorities for providing cost in trade for helping within the arrest of pro-democracy activists residing in Britain, even because the British authorities begins the method of reinstating an extradition cope with the autonomous Chinese language metropolis.
International Secretary David Lammy and Dwelling Secretary Yvette Cooper issued a joint assertion on Friday shortly after Hong Kong introduced money rewards for data resulting in the arrest of 19 pro-democracy activists based mostly overseas, together with in Britain, who’re accused of violating the strict nationwide safety regulation imposed by Beijing in 2020.
Of their assertion, Lammy and Cooper referred to as on China to cease concentrating on opposition voices in Britain.
“The Hong Kong Police Pressure’s issuing of additional arrest warrants and bounties on people residing within the UK is one other instance of transnational repression,” their assertion learn.
The bounties vary from 200,000 to at least one million Hong Kong {dollars} (about $25,000-$125,000), relying on the person the Hong Kong authorities search to arrest.
That is the fourth time Hong Kong authorities have made reward affords, which have drawn robust criticism from Western international locations, to which China, in flip, has denounced as “interference”.
Of their assertion, the 2 British ministers mentioned that “this Authorities will proceed to face with the individuals of Hong Kong, together with those that have made the [United Kingdom] their residence. We take the safety of their rights, freedoms, and security very significantly”.
However a current proposal by the British authorities to reform extradition guidelines has prompted severe considerations, with some fearing it might pave the way in which for a resumption of extraditions to Hong Kong, which have been suspended for the reason that 2020 nationwide safety regulation was enacted.
On Friday, Al Jazeera reported that the UK Dwelling Workplace utilized to Parliament to make modifications to the nation’s laws relating to extradition on July 17, adopted by a letter to Shadow Dwelling Secretary Chris Philp the subsequent day.
“It’s in our nationwide curiosity to have efficient extradition relationships to stop criminals from evading justice and the UK changing into a haven for criminals,” the July 18 letter from Safety Minister Dan Jarvis mentioned.
The Dwelling Workplace additionally plans to revive an extradition framework with Chile and Zimbabwe, in accordance with the letter, which was shared on X by Conservative MP Alicia Kearns.
Instances for Hong Kong and Zimbabwe would each be thought of on a “case-by-case foundation”, Jarvis mentioned.
About 150,000 Hong Kong nationals migrated to the UK underneath a particular visa scheme launched in 2021.
In 2024, legislators in Hong Kong accredited a brand new nationwide safety regulation – referred to as Article 23 – that gave the federal government new powers to crack down on all types of dissent on the grounds of alleged treason, espionage, sedition and exterior interference in Hong Kong’s inner affairs. Since then, Hong Kong has been providing bounties for the arrest of activists who’ve fled the town whereas dealing with expenses associated to the pro-democracy protests.
Hong Kong, a former British colony, is a specific sticking level for the UK because of its historic relationship and the sharp decline in political freedoms in Hong Kong since China imposed controversial nationwide safety laws in 2020.
The previous British colony returned to Chinese language rule in 1997 with the assure of a excessive diploma of autonomy, together with freedom of speech, underneath a “one nation, two methods” components.