‘Hong Kong 12’ detained for over 60 days for allegedly attempting to escape from Hong Kong
We, the undersigned, condemn the arrest and detention of the 12 Hongkonger activists who are currently being held in incommunicado detention in mainland China, including three who were under 18 years old at the time of their arrest.
The 12 activists were intercepted by China’s Coast Guard on 23 August 2020 while attempting to escape Hong Kong. Concern has been growing for the detainees, aged 16 to 30, who have now been held for more than 50 days with no communication with their families or access to lawyers of their choice.
The group of 12 were detained with the charge of “illegal border crossing,” a criminal offence that carries a sentence of up to two years in prison. After a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson labeled the detainees as “separatists” there are fears that the extreme charge of “endangering national security” could also be given. This could result in a life sentence or even the death penalty in “egregious cases.”
Families of the 12 held an emotional press-conference in Hong Kong calling on Carrie Lam, the Chief Executive of Hong Kong, to intervene in the case and to press for the detainees’ safe return to Hong Kong, as well as ensure their access to family appointed lawyers. At least four Chinese human rights lawyers, appointed by the families, have attempted to visit the detainees but were turned away. One was told his client already had lawyers, raising concerns that the lawyers were appointed by the government and therefore unable to provide an effective defense not biased towards the state-run police.
The arrest of this group of 12 activists and their forcible removal to mainland China and their incommunicado detention further signals the alarming and rapid decline in human rights for those living in Hong Kong. Yet, even so, Hongkongers continue to mount a remarkable challenge to Beijing. They are still working to resist the pervasive restrictions on their fundamental rights and freedoms, including a refusal to accept a sham version of democracy with leaders pre-approved by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
We call on the Chinese authorities to immediately release the 12 Hong Kongers who have been detained as a direct result of their human rights activism.
We call on world governments to take urgent action to press Chinese authorities, in the strongest possible terms, to release the Hong Kong 12. Governments must continue public pressure and demands along with concrete actions to support the peaceful exercise of rights by Hong Kong people.
We express our solidarity with the Hong Kong movement for democracy and rights, and we salute the people of Hong Kong for refusing to remain silent as Beijing reneges on its promise of universal suffrage and democratic reforms.
Names of the Hong Kong 12:
Hoang Lam Phuc | 黃臨福 | 16
Cheng Tsz Ho | 鄭子豪 | 17
Liu Tsz Man | 廖子文 | 17, now 18
Kok Tse Lun | 郭子麟 | 18
Cheung Ming Yu | 張銘裕 | 20
Yim Man Him | 嚴文謙 | 21
Cheung Chun Fu | 張俊富 | 22
Li Tsz Yin | 李子賢 | 29
Li Yu Hin (Andy Li) | 李宇軒 |
Wong Wai Yin | 黃偉然 | 29
Tang Kai Yin | 鄧棨然 | 30
Quinn Moon | 喬映瑜 | 33
Signed by:
- Aref International Onlus
- Amigos de Tíbet Colombia
- Asociación Cultural Tibetano Costarricense
- Asian Solidarity Council for Freedom and Democracy
- ASSOCIATION FRANCE TIBET
- Australia Tibet Council
- Australian Uyghur Tangritagh Women’s Association
- Boston Uyghur Association
- Casa Tíbet México
- Campaign for Uyhgurs
- Chinese Human Rights Defenders
- Citizen Power Initiatives for China
- Canada Tibet Committee
- China Against the Death Penalty
- Comité pour la Liberté à Hongkong
- Daily Hongkong
- Defend Democracy
- China Democracy Party
- Étudiants pour un Tibet Libre
- Frankfurt Stands With Hong Kong
- Free Indo-Pacific Alliance
- Free Tibet
- Hong Kongers in San Francisco Bay Area
- Hongkonger in Deutschland e.V.
- Hong Kong Committee in Norway
- Hong Kong Forum, Los Angeles
- Hong Kong Political Affairs and Social Services (HKPASS) at UC Davis
- Human Rights Network for Tibet and Taiwan
- Humanitarian China
- Human Rights in China
- International Campaign for Tibet
- International Service for Human Rights
- International Society for Human Rights – Sweden
- International Tibet Network Secretariat
- Gesellschaft für Menschenrechte (IGFM)
- Japan Uyghur Union/ 日本ウイグル連盟
- Keep Taiwan Free
- La Federacion of Cantonia
- Lamp of Liberty
- Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada
- Les Amis du Tibet, Luxembourg
- Libertyusa
- LUNGTA – Actief voor Tibet
- National Committee of Democracy Party of China
- NorCal HK Club
- NOW!
- Rangzen Movimento Tibete Livre, Brasil
- REACH India Group
- Safeguarding Defenders
- Santa Barbara Friends of Tibet
- Save Tibet Indonesia
- Save Tibet, Austria
- Students for a Free Tibet – Japan
- Sierra Friends of Tibet
- Sounds of the Silenced – SOS
- Southern Mongolia Congress
- The National Foundation Alliance of Hong Kong
- Southern Mongolian Human Rights Information Center
- Stand With Hong Kong Vienna
- Students for a Free Tibet
- Students for a Free Tibet – Denmark
- SumOfUs
- Swedish Tibet Committee
- Tíbet Patria Libre – Uruguay
- Taiwan Independence Project
- The National Foundation Alliance of Hong Kong
- The Norwegian Tibet Committee
- Tibet Action Institute
- Tibet Initiative Deutschland e.V.
- Tíbet Mx
- Tibet Support Group Ireland
- Tibet Justice Center
- Tibetan Community in Britain
- Tibetan Community of New York and New Jersey
- Tibetan Community in Sweden
- Tibetan community of South Australia
- TIBET LIVES
- Tokyo Tibetan Community
- Toronto Association for Democracy in China
- Torontonian HongKongers Action Group
- Unified Buddhist Church of Vietnam
- US Hongkongers Club
- Uyghur Human Rights Project
- Voces de Tíbet México
- Vancouver Society in Support of Democratic Movement
- Vancouverites Concerned About Hong Kong
- Victoria Hong Kong Tertiary Student Association
- Viet Tan
- We The Hongkongers
- World Uyghur Congress
- 台灣永社 Taiwan Forever Association
- 臺灣東突厥斯坦協會 Taiwan East Turkestan Association
- 芝援香港 Global Solidarity with Hong Kong – Chicago
- China Alarm
- Grupo de Apoio ao Tibete
- Associazione The Heritage of Tibet
NOTES:
1. China’s coastguard released a statement on Weibo stating authorities in Guangdong tracked down a speedboat suspected of an illegal border crossing.
2. Under international human rights law, the arrest, detention, or imprisonment of a child under the age of 18 may be used only as a measure of last resort and for the shortest appropriate period. Every detained child has the right to maintain contact with his or her family through visits and correspondence. Moreover, any detained child has the right to prompt access to legal and other appropriate assistance, as well as the right to challenge the legality of the detention before a court or other independent and impartial authority, and to a prompt decision on any such action.
3. https://hongkongfp.com/2020/09/09/rights-lawyer-says-china-may-have-appointed-state-lawyers-to-hongkonger-arrested-whilst-fleeing-by-boat/
4. https://twitter.com/SpokespersonCHN/status/1304989967509151744?s=20; https://www.globaltimes.cn/content/1200706.shtml
5. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/9/15/hong-kongs-lam-says-12-arrested-at-sea-not-democracy-activists
6. https://hongkongfp.com/2020/09/09/rights-lawyer-says-china-may-have-appointed-state-lawyers-to-hongkonger-arrested-whilst-fleeing-by-boat/
7. https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/30/we-want-our-son-back-families-of-detained-hong-kong-activists-left-in-the-dark
8. Detainees must also be granted legal representation organised by their families and be allowed contact with their families. Furthermore, detainees must be given access to prescribed medication and medical treatment and not be subject to any form of torture or inhumane treatment.
