EU Parliament condemns Beijing’s assault on press freedom in Hong Kong and calls for urgent action

Today, the European Parliament has passed a joint-resolution condemning the recent assault by Beijing on press freedom in Hong Kong, which has seen the closure of Stand News, Citizen News, and arrest of a number of journalists and pro-democracy activists.

In the resolution, Members of the European Parliament called for the release of all political prisoners in Hong Kong and reiterated calls for the EU to issue of emergency travel documents for journalists at risk of arrest.

The resolution, overwhelmingly backed by all of the party groupings within the Parliament, noted that the recent “patriots” Legislative Council elections which took place in December were neither “free nor fair” and led to “the dismantling of all forms of political opposition”, raised concern regarding the appointment of the chief of staff of the Armed Police Force in Xinjiang to the PLA garrison in Hong Kong, and called on the Hong Kong Chief Executive to withdraw plans to introduce Article 23 national security legislation.

Members of the European Parliament used the resolution to reiterate their calls for the EU to introduce targeted Magnitsky sanctions against the Hong Kong Chief Executive and other Hong Kong officials, the suspension of extradition treaties with the People’s Republic of China, and called for EU Member States to implement lifeboat schemes for Hong Kongers. It restated that any future ratification by the Parliament of the EU-China Comprehensive Agreement on Investment would consider the human rights situation and China’s commitment to the Sino-British Joint Declaration.

The joint-resolution also urged the EU to “review the EU-Hong Kong Agreement on Cooperation and Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters and the EU’s support for Hong Kong’s seat at the World Trade Organisation in light of the destruction of the territory’s autonomy under the previously established “One Country, Two Systems Model”.

Commenting on the Parliament’s joint-resolution on Hong Kong, Sam Goodman, Hong Kong Watch’s Senior Policy Advisor, said:

"Today the European Parliament has sent an unequivocal message of condemnation to Beijing over its actions in Hong Kong. Parliamentarians have rightly underlined that Beijing's actions are unacceptable, whether that is muzzling the free press, locking up democrats, or enacting further appalling national security legislation. A review of the EU's support for Hong Kong’s seat at the WTO and its bilateral customs treaty is long overdue.

We urge the Commission and EU Member States to adopt the actions in this urgent resolution, which outlines a clear blueprint of credible actions the EU can take to hold China accountable for its destruction of Hong Kong’s autonomy, its crackdown on human rights, and its ongoing attempts to silence all forms of dissent. This includes the sanctioning of Hong Kong officials, the implementation of lifeboat schemes, and the suspension of extradition treaties with the PRC.

It is well past time all EU institutions put their statements of concern into action and demonstrate clearly that they stand with the people of Hong Kong.”

歐洲議會譴責中國打壓香港的新聞自由 呼籲採取緊急行動作出回應

今天，歐洲議會通過了一項聯合決議，譴責中國最近對香港新聞自由的打壓，包括迫使立場新聞及眾新聞關閉，並拘捕部份記者和民運人士。

在決議中，歐洲議會成員呼籲釋放所有香港的政治犯，並再次呼籲歐盟為有被捕風險的記者簽發緊急旅行證件。

該決議得到議會內所有黨派壓倒性的支持。該決議指出去年12 月舉行的「愛國者」立法會選舉「既不自由，也不公平」，並「瓦解所有形式的政治反對聲音」。該決議亦對任命前新疆武警總隊參謀長為駐港部隊司令員表示關注，並呼籲香港行政長官撤回引入第23條國安法的立法計劃。

歐洲議會成員在該決議中再次呼籲歐盟對香港行政長官和其他香港官員實施有針對性的馬格尼茨基制裁，擱置與中國的引渡條約，並呼籲歐盟成員國為香港人制定救生艇計劃。決議重申，議會在未來正式批准歐盟與中國的全面投資協定時，將考慮人權狀況和中國對《中英聯合聲明》的承諾。

聯合決議亦促請歐盟「考慮到香港在一國兩制框架下所享有的自治遭受破壞，應審視歐盟與香港就海關事務合作與行政互助所簽訂的協定，以及審視歐盟應否繼續支持香港在世界貿易組織取得席位」。

在評論歐洲議會就香港發表的聯合決議時，香港監察資深政策顧問Sam Goodman表示︰

「今天，歐洲議會明確地譴責中國政府在香港的所為。議會成員正確地指出，不論是打壓新聞自由、囚禁民運人士，還是訂定駭人聽聞的國安法，中國的所為都是不可接受的。歐盟早該審視應否繼續支持香港在世界貿易組織得到席位、以及與香港簽訂的雙邊海關條約。

我們促請歐盟委員會和歐盟成員國採取這項緊急決議中的行動。這項決議就歐盟可以採取的行動描畫出明確的藍圖，要求中國為破壞香港自治、打擊人權以及不斷試圖壓制所有異見聲音負上責任。這些行動包括制裁香港官員、實施救生艇計劃以及擱置與中國的引渡條約。

現在是所有歐盟機構將對香港的關注付諸行動、並清楚表明他們與香港人站在一起的時候了。」