Hong Kong Watch condemns arrests of 3 former pro-democracy lawmakers

After the arrest of three former pro-democracy lawmakers, Hong Kong Watch calls for coordinated action from Western governments to check the deteriorating human rights situation in the city.

Today the Hong Kong authorities retrospectively arrested three former pro-democracy lawmakers for disrupting the Legislative Council in May, while it deliberated and eventually passed a law that criminalises protest against the Chinese national anthem.

The three former lawmakers include Ted Hui, Eddie Chu and Raymond Chan, who are all charged with ‘contempt in the legislature’ and ‘intent to harm others’. This follows protests in the Legislative Council chamber in May against a law criminalising protest against the Chinese national anthem, in which the lawmakers dropped a rotten plant in the chamber and rushed to the front of the chamber to spray liquid.

All three lawmakers have previously paid fines of $6,707-$12,898 (52,000-100,000 Hong Kong dollars) each over the incidents.

These arrests follow the decision by Beijing last week to disqualify four pro-democracy lawmakers and the passing of the China's National People's Congress Standing Committee resolution which stated that ‘lawmakers should be disqualified if they support Hong Kong independence, refuse to acknowledge China's sovereignty, ask foreign forces to interfere in the city's affairs or in other ways threaten national security.’

Following the disqualification of the four pan-dems, all remaining pro-democracy lawmakers have resigned from the Legislative Council on-mass leaving the council without any opposition voices.

Commenting on the latest arrests, Benedict Rogers, Hong Kong Watch’s Chief Executive said:

“These arrests reflect further attempts by Beijing to silence pro-democracy voices in Hong Kong. They are not only entirely disproportionate when considering the alleged action that took place in May and the previous fines the three individuals have paid, but constitute a concerted effort by the Hong Kong Police to retrospectively target former pro-democracy lawmakers.

Each week now in Hong Kong there appears a familiar pattern with fresh arrests and new attempts by Beijing to suffocate the city’s freedoms and way of life. These developments are often met with statements of condemnation, but sadly little in the way of concrete actions from Western governments.

This cycle cannot continue. Likeminded governments must recognise the pace at which human rights is rapidly deteriorating in Hong Kong, and that the decline of historically one of Asia’s most open and international cities can only be checked by coordinated and swift action from the UK Government and key partners including the introduction of targeted Magnitsky sanctions on Hong Kong and Chinese officials."