Hong Kong Informal Friendship Group in the Bundestag Publishes Press Release on National Security Law
Today, the Hong Kong Informal Friendship Group in the Bundestag published a press release on the anniversary of the adoption of the Hong Kong National Security Law on June 30, 2023. The Friendship Group was established in December 2022 with the support of Hong Kong Watch and Freiheit für Hongkong e.V..
The press release was initiated by the co-chairs of the Hong Kong Friendship Group in the Bundestag, which are MdB Gyde Jensen (FDP), MdB Roderich Kiesewetter (CDU), MdB Frank Schwabe (SDP), and MdB Boris Mijatović (Alliance 90/The Greens).
It was signed by 22 Members of the Bundestag including Hong Kong Watch Patron Frank Müller-Rosentritt (FDP).
The press release calls for the release of all political prisoners in Hong Kong, an end to the arbitrary persecution of Hong Kong's civil society and the abolition of the National Security Law, as recommended by the United Nations Human Rights Committee.
It condemns the threats to civil society and journalists in Hong Kong and reiterates that these are taken seriously by Germany, which must be a safe haven for human rights defenders. You can read the full text (in German) here.
On the anniversary of the National Security Law in Hong Kong, Hong Kong Watch Condemns Beijing’s Draconian National Security Law on Third Anniversary of its Imposition and summarised the key changes that have taken place in Hong Kong since the law was passed.
Anouk Wear, Research and Policy Advisor, stated that:
“We welcome this press release from the Hong Kong Friendship Group in the Bundestag, and appreciate the large number of Members of the Bundestag who have signed it from across the major political parties.
Three years after the National Security Law was passed, we appreciate that there are still many German lawmakers who are focused on the situation in Hong Kong and reiterate both their concerns, as well as Germany’s support for human rights defenders.”
Ray Wong, Co-founder of the German NGO Freiheit für Hongkong e.V., comments that
“The latest press release from the German Parliament's informal Hong Kong Friendship Group shows that the fight of the people of Hong Kong is not forgotten. The international community continues to censure Beijing and its puppets in Hong Kong for their oppression of Hong Kong's pro-democracy movement.
As an activist in exile based in Germany, it is welcoming to see so many German MPs remain concerned with the security of Hong Kong human rights defenders in Germany.”
德國國會非正式跨黨派議會香港小組發國安法三週年新聞稿 22名議員重申德國支持香港
今天是《港區國安法》實施三週年，德國聯邦議院非正式跨黨派議會香港小組特此發布新聞稿。小組於2022年12月成立，並獲香港監察和德國非政府組織Freiheit für Hongkong e.V.支持。
新聞稿由德國聯邦議院非正式跨黨派議會香港小組聯合主席發起，即德國自由民主黨議員Gyde Jensen、基督教民主聯盟議員Roderich Kiesewetter、社會民主黨議員Frank Schwabe和綠黨議員Boris Mijatović。
新聞稿獲22名德國國會議員簽署，其中包括香港監察贊助人、自由民主黨議員Frank Müller-Rosentritt。
新聞稿呼籲釋放香港所有政治犯，停止肆意迫害香港公民社會，並按聯合國人權事務委員會建議廢除《國安法》。
新聞稿譴責《國安法》對香港公民社會和記者構成的威脅，重申德國嚴正看待事態，強調德國務必成為人權捍衛者的安全避風港。請在此處查閱德文全文。
《國安法》實施三週年之際，香港監察發表聲明譴責北京強推苛法，並總結該法通過以來香港發生的重大變化。
香港監察研究及政策顧問華穆清 Anouk Wear表示：
「我們歡迎德國聯邦議院非正式跨黨派議會香港小組發布的新聞稿，並感謝眾多跨黨派國會議員簽署。《國安法》已通過三年，我們感激仍有許多德國立法者關注香港的情況，並重申他們的關注及德國對人權捍衛者的支持。」
德國非政府組織Freiheit für Hongkong e.V.聯合創辦人黃台仰 Ray Wong認為：
「德國國會非正式跨黨派議會香港小組最新發布的新聞稿顯示，香港人的抗爭未被遺忘。國際社會繼續譴責北京及其在香港的傀儡官員打壓香港民主運動。身為流亡德國的社運人士，看到眾多德國議員仍關注香港人權捍衛者在德國的安全，實在令人鼓舞。」