German Human Rights Committee Members speak out on extradition law
On 11 June 2019, 3 members of the German Bundestag Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid spoke out about the extradition law.
Gyde Jensen, the Chair of the Committee on Human Rights and Humanitarian Aid, and a member of the FDP, said: "More than 1 million protesters took to the streets of Hong Kong last Sunday. The political courage of young activists facing the changes to the extradition law should be recognised instead of defied by the Hong Kong government. Hong Kong authorities must do everything in their power to uphold the universal character of human rights and to deescalate the deadlock between civil society and government. Pro-democracy activists are paying the political price for China's arbitrary appetite for power and the undermining of Hong Kong’s autonomy, human rights and fundamental freedoms.”
She continued to say it could have implications for the Germany-Hong Kong extradition treaty: ”When the extradition law will be passed, the German government must assess possible effects on the extradition treaty between Hong Kong and Germany."
Noting that extradition to China could make people vulnerable to the death penalty, torture or labour camps, Margarete Bause, the Greens spokesperson on the group said to the German media that the German extradition treaty between Germany and Hong Kong should be terminated if the bill were adopted:
"If the federal government itself admits that the planned amendments to the extradition law raise considerable legal concerns, it must take action."
Martin Patzelt, a member of the Committee and the governing CDU party, said:
“More than one million protesters took to the streets last Sunday to demonstrate against the planned changes. It shows clearly that the public in Hong Kong is against the proposed amendments to the Extradition Law, and against the progressive erosion of the constitutional and contractual principle of "one country - two systems. We support the aspirations of the people of Hong Kong for human rights, freedom and autonomy. "