Hong Kong Watch welcomes European Parliament resolution on Hong Kong and calls on EU Member States to act

Yesterday, Members of the European Parliament spoke at an emergency debate on the deterioration of fundamental rights and freedoms in Hong Kong. 

Members of the European Parliament urged the Hong Kong government to “immediately release and drop all charges against pro-democratic representatives and activists, including prominent businessman and politician Jimmy Lai” and called on the European External Action Service and the EU Office in Hong Kong to step up their trial observations, report on the most prominent trials and request prison visits to Hongkongers in jail for exercising their basic rights. 

MEPs also reiterate their call on all EU member states to suspend any extradition treaties with Hong Kong and the People’s Republic of China, release political prisoners, and to introduce targeted sanctions against officials from Hong Kong and China. They also called for the repeal of the National Security Law. 

They adopted a resolution (483 votes in favour, 9 against and 42 abstentions) which highlighted the alarming deterioration in fundamental freedoms, the rule of law, and judicial independence in Hong Kong since the National Security Law was passed, and that it is “in clear breach of the so-called “One Country Two Systems” principle.”

This follows from the 2022 and 2020 European Parliament resolutions on Hong Kong which also called on Member States to prepare concrete responses to the National Security Law and implement a “lifeboat scheme” for Hongkongers, and to suspend extradition treaties with China, among other points.

We are particularly grateful to our patron Miriam Lexmann MEP who said that “the deterioration of freedoms and rule of law in Hong Kong also impacts us [...] That’s why our response must be principled and clear” and reiterated the call for the EU to conduct trial observations and targeted sanctions against Hong Kong officials responsible for the ongoing human rights crackdown.

Anouk Wear, Research and Policy Advisor at Hong Kong Watch said: 

“We appreciate the continued concern and support by members of the European Parliament regarding the situation in Hong Kong, and they made very helpful recommendations to the EEAS and Member States. 

Hong Kong Watch urges Member States to put into action the recommendations in these resolutions and take concrete action to support Hongkongers, especially by protecting those who are already in the European Union through suspending extradition treaties and limiting the extraterritorial application of the National Security Law.”