Hong Kong Watch: Over 80 human rights organizations sign joint statement

Over 80 human rights organisations sign joint statement urging government action in response to latest arrest warrants and bounties on Hong Kong pro-democracy activists

Hong Kong Watch and 86 other Hong Kong civil society and human rights organisations from around the world have signed a joint statement urging government action in response to the latest round of Hong Kong National Security arrest warrants and bounties announced on 14 December 2023.

In the statement, they call on governments to introduce measures to protect the rights of and freedoms of Hong Kong activists in exile, particularly those who have been granted asylum and face past and current threats from Beijing.

They condemn the recent targeting of peaceful pro-democracy activists including Joey Siu, who is a US citizen now residing in the US, as well as Frances Hui and Simon Cheng, who fled from Hong Kong to the US and UK, respectively. 

They also “continue to condemn the targeting of Nathan Law, Dennis Kwok, Ted Hui, Kevin Yam, Anna Kwok, Finn Lau, Elmer Yuen, and Christopher Mung”. 

They call on governments, specifically of the United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and European Union, to continue to reiterate that the Hong Kong National Security Law does not apply in their jurisdictions, condemn the latest arrest warrants and bounties and reaffirm that they are not valid in their jurisdictions.

“This is the latest escalation in the National Security Law, which was imposed by Beijing in 2020 and has been condemned by many governments and multiple UN Committees. So far, 260 people have been arrested under the National Security Law,” the joint statement notes.

“This is also the latest escalation in transnational repression against Hong Kongers, many of whom have faced attacks and harassment from the Chinese Communist Party and its agents, across various jurisdictions.”

The groups urge governments to raise the topic of Hong Kong in their recommendations to China at the UN Universal Periodic Review, which will take place on 23 January 2024. 

They also urge governments to suspend the remaining extradition treaties that exist between democracies and the Hong Kong and Chinese Governments and work towards coordinating an INTERPOL early warning system to protect Hong Kongers and other dissidents abroad.

Last Thursday, after the Hong Kong police force issued arrest warrants for five pro-democracy activists including Joey Siu, Frances Hui and Simon Cheng, alongside a bounty of HK$1 million per individual for information that could lead to their arrest under the National Security Law, the Hong Kong Government said in a statement, “Fugitives should not have any delusion that they could evade legal liabilities by absconding from Hong Kong. Fugitives will be pursued for life unless they turn themselves in.”

The full letter is available here.

Signatories (in alphabetical order)

1. Action Free Hong Kong Montreal

2. AfricaHongKongFrance (AHKF)

3. Alberta Uyghur Association

4. Amnesty International UK

5. Association of Hong Kongers in Western Australia

6. Australia Hong Kong Link

7. Australia Capital Hong Kong Association

8. Australian Uyghur Association

9. Blossom Community HK CIC 大樹下合作社

10. Britons in Hong Kong

11. Campaign For Uyghurs

12. Canadian Friends of Hong Kong

13. Center For Uyghur Studies

14. Chicago Solidarity with Hong Kong 芝援香港

15. China Aid Association

16. Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD)

17. Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation

18. Democracy for Hong Kong (D4HK)

19. DC4HK (Washingtonians supporting Hong Kong)

20. Freedom House

21. Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong.

22. Finnish Hongkongers

23. Free Tibet

24. Freiheit für Hongkong e.V.

25. Germany Stands with Hong Kong

26. Global Alliance for Tibet & Persecuted Minorities

27. Halifax-Hong Kong Link

28. Hackney Chinese Community Services (HCCS)

29. HearthTalk UK

30. HKersUnited

31. Hong Kong Aid 港援

32. Hong Kong Assistance and Resettlement Community (HKARC)

33. Hong Kong Centre for Human Rights

34. Hong Kong Committee in Norway

35. Hong Kong Democracy Council

36. Hong Kong Forum, Los Angeles

37. Hong Kong International Alliance Brisbane (HKIA Brisbane)

38. Hong Kong Labour Rights Monitor

39. Hong Kong Outlanders in Taiwan

40. Hong Kong Professional Network

41. Hong Kong Revolution Power

42. Hong Kong Watch

43. Hong Kong in Chester

44. Hongkonger in Deutschland e.V.

45. Hongkongers in Britain 英國港僑協會

46. HongKongers in Leeds

47. Hong Kongers in San Diego

48. Human Rights Foundation

49. Human Rights in China

50. Humanitarian China

51. International Campaign for Tibet

52. International Tibet Network

53. Japan Hong Kong Democracy Alliance

54. June 4 Sparks

55. Lady Liberty Hong Kong

56. Le Comité pour la Liberté à Hong-Kong

57. Manchester Stands With Hong Kong

58. New Yorkers Supporting Hong Kong

59. NGO DEI

60. Northern California Hong Kong Club

61. Nottingham Stands with Hong Kong

62. Philly4HK

63. Power to Hongkongers

64. Safeguard Defenders

65. Salford HongKongers

66. Scottish Hongkongers

67. Southampton Hongkongers

68. Students for a Free Tibet

69. Students For Hong Kong

70. Stop Uyghur Genocide

71. Taiwan HK Association

72. Texans Supporting Hong Kong - TX4HK

73. The 29 Principles

74. The Dissident Project

75. The Hong Kong Scots

76. Tibet Justice Center

77. Tibet Solidarity

78. Tibetan Community in Britain

79. Tibet Initiative Deutschland

80. Torontonian HongKongers Action Group

81. Trafford Hongkongers CIC

82. UK Uyghur Community

83. US Hongkongers Club

84. Uyghur Human Rights Project

85. Victoria HongKongers Association (Australia) 澳洲維港

86. We the Hongkongers

87. World Uyghur Congress