15 International Parliamentarians have today written to Carrie Lam, Chief Executive of Hong Kong, to ask her to scrap the extradition proposals.
Signatories include the co-leader of the Greens in Germany, the Chair of ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, a number of UK MPs and US Senators, as well as the Shadow Deputy Foreign Minister from Canada. Click link for the letter.
Dear Chief Executive Lam,
As international parliamentarians, we are writing to ask you to consider withdrawing the proposed amendments to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance (Cap. 503) so that alternative options can be explored.
We recognise that the murder committed by Chan Tong-kai requires justice, but we believe that this can be achieved through one of the many compromise alternatives proposed by legal academics and legislators. This will allow the city the time to consider whether further reforms are necessary, and to
construct a solution which will safeguard the fundamental rights and rule of law which is guaranteed in the Joint Declaration.
We are all friends of Hong Kong and believe that the city’s success and prosperity is a direct result of its robust rule of law and guaranteed freedoms. The existing extradition legislation helps to safeguard the rule of law by ensuring that there is a clear firewall between the two diverging legal systems of
the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the People’s Republic of China. Documents from the United Kingdom National Archives show that handover negotiators from both sides recognised the need for this firewall, and that it was designed to help protect Hong Kong’s judiciary.
As you will be aware, Hong Kong currently serves a critical function as a meeting place between China and the world and there are millions of foreigners who reside, visit, or transit through Hong Kong each year, including many of our own constituents. Hong Kong is currently mainland China’s most important capital provider, as well as the nation’s largest source of inward direct investment, a major listing place
for Chinese companies, and an important source of bank loans. International confidence in Hong Kong’s robust rule of law and autonomy is a critical interest of all our countries and the reason why we seek to engage you on this pressing matter. We respectfully ask that you consider withdrawing the proposed amendments while you explore other options.
Yours sincerely,
Lord Alton of Liverpool House of Lords, United Kingdom
Christopher W. Smith U.S. Representative, New Jersey
Katrin Göring-Eckardt Member of Parliament, Germany
Parliamentary co-leader of Alliance 90/The Greens
Garnett Genuis Member of Parliament, Deputy Shadow Foreign Minister, Canada
Charles Santiago Member of Parliament ASEAN Parliamentarians for Human Rights, Malaysia
Tom Cotton U.S. Senator, Arkansas
Ted Yoho J U.S. Representative, Florida
Josef Weidenholze Member of European Parliament, Austria
Fiona Bruce Member of Parliament, United Kingdom
Thomas R. Suozzi U.S. Representative, New York
Vicky Hartzler U.S. Representative, Missouri
Mark Meadows U.S. Representative, North Carolina
Brian Fitzpatrick U.S. Representative, Pennsylvania
Mike Gallagher U.S. Representative, Wisconsin
Alistair Carmichael Member of Parliament, United Kingdom
https://www.hongkongwatch.org/…/15-international-parliament…
