Hong Kong Watch publishes briefing and case studies on Hong Kongers facing intimidation in Canada

Hong Kong Watch has today published a briefing on Hong Kongers facing intimidation in Canada. Case studies of individuals with this experience are included in the briefing.

The intimidation of Hong Kongers by the regime in Beijing is an ongoing issue faced by community members. The Chinese Communist Party, or agents acting on its behalf, carries out acts of intimidation targeted at Hong Kongers in Canada with pro-democracy sentiments such as uttering threats or monitoring their activities.

The case studies in this brief outline the experiences of five Hong Konger Canadians from Toronto, Vancouver, and Calgary who have been active in the pro-democracy movement or the Hong Kong community.

Hong Kong Watch’s key recommendations are as follows:

  1. That the Government establish a reporting hotline for victims of intimidation and threats by foreign agents with service available in Cantonese;

  2. That relevant committees, including, but not limited to the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security (SECU), the Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Development (FAAE), and the Special Committee on the Canada–People’s Republic of China Relationship (CACN) hold hearings on the subject; and

  3. That Bill S-237 moves forward in the Senate and the House of Commons swiftly to establish a Foreign Agent Registry.

The full briefing can be read here.

Katherine Leung, Hong Kong Watch’s Policy Advisor for Canada, commenting on the briefing, said:

“We know that intimidation and threats are tactics used by the Chinese Communist Party to silence critics overseas. Hong Kongers come to Canada to escape persecution – it is unacceptable that their freedom of speech and freedom of expression is stifled here, a country where fundamental rights and freedoms are enshrined in the Constitution.

We urge the Government to take swift action to address this ongoing issue by establishing a reporting hotline, studying the issue in related committees, and ensure the passage of Bill S-237 to establish a Foreign Agent Registry.”

 

香港監察發表個案研究簡報揭示在加港人遭受中共恐嚇

香港監察今日發表香港人在加拿大面臨恐嚇的簡報，當中載有曾遭受恐嚇人士的個案研究。

北京政權恐嚇香港人是加拿大香港人社區一直面對的問題。中國共產黨及其代理人針對支持民主的在加港人施以恐嚇，例如出言威脅或監視他們的舉動。

這份簡報中的個案研究概述了五名加拿大香港人的經歷。他們分別來自多倫多、溫哥華和卡加利，均一直活躍於民主運動和香港社區。

香港監察的主要建議如下：

  1. 政府應為遭受外國代理人恐嚇和威脅的受害人設立報案熱線，並提供廣東話服務；

  2. 相關委員會，包括但不限於公共安全及國家安全常務委員會（SECU）、外交及國際發展常務委員會（FAAE）和加中關係特別委員會（CACN）應就此舉行聽證會；及

  3. 儘快在參議院和眾議院推展《S-237法案》，建立外國代理人登記制度。

請在此處閱讀簡報全文。

香港監察加拿大政策顧問Katherine Leung對此表示：

「我們知道恐嚇和威脅是中國共產黨用來壓制海外批評聲音的策略。香港人來到加拿大是為了逃離迫害──加拿大是根據憲法制訂基本權利和自由的國家，他們的言論自由和表達自由在這裏受到壓制實在不能接受。

我們敦促政府迅速採取行動解決這個持續存在的問題，包括設立報案熱線、在相關委員會研究問題，並確保通過《S-237法案》以建立外國代理人登記制度。」

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