Occupy verdict prompts urgent debate in British parliament
Local | Cindy Wan 12 Apr 2019
Twenty members of the British parliament raised concerns over the convictions of nine Occupy leaders and the fugitive law amendment in an urgent debate on Wednesday.
"Using the criminal justice system and public order offenses in this way are an abuse of fundamental and internationally protected human rights," said Alistair Carmichael, a Liberal Democrat who initiated the debate.
Minister for Asia and the Pacific Mark Field was present to answer questions. He refused to comment directly on the convictions, saying it would be inappropriate to comment on ongoing legal cases. "Sentencing is due on April 24th, and the defendants have the right to appeal," he said.
But Field acknowledged that Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy is being undermined, citing recent remarks by the Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt. "It would be deeply concerning if the ruling discourages legitimate protest in future or discourages Hong Kong citizens from engaging in political activity," he said.
In response, Carmichael described the prosecutions and convictions of the nine Occupy leaders as "the latest in a series of egregious human rights abuses by the government in China."
He also raised concerns over the proposed amendment bill on extradition laws in Hong Kong, saying it is "something that not only political activists but business people fear."
Thangam Debbonaire, a member of parliament from the British Labour Party, pressed the minister further on the UK's responsibility for Hong Kong residents, slamming the UK government for doing nothing to ensure China is respecting the Sino-British joint declaration.
Field, in reply, said the government would stand up for the rights of all Hongkongers, adding that it is also in China's interests to ensure that one country, two systems prevails.
"The Belt and Road initiative is a good example of where working together to ensure that Hong Kong's freedoms are maintained will actually be in China's own interests - not just in trading terms," he said.
"If I were Chinese, I might also think that there is an important opportunity to utilize Hong Kong as a chance for experimental changes in freedoms that may or may not be in the mind of this regime or future Chinese regimes," he added.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong localist party Demosisto secretary-general Joshua Wong Chi-fung questioned whether the decision to prosecute the nine Occupy leaders with charges related to public nuisance adheres to the International Bill of Human Rights.
Wong said yesterday the public nuisance charges are considered "outdated and at odds with international standards on human rights" by many human rights group globally and that Hong Kong as an international city should not ignore these criticisms.
