Canadian parliamentarians call on the Government to introduce measures to protect pro-democracy activists overseas

Today, a group of nine former and current parliamentarians in Canada including five patrons of Hong Kong Watch Canada have written to the Minister of Foreign Affairs to call for action in response to the Hong Kong National Security Police issuing arrest warrants and bounties for eight Hong Kong activists living overseas.

The eight pro-democracy activists include the former pro-democracy lawmaker Dennis Kwok who was born in Canada, another two activists based in the US, three activists in the UK, and two based in Australia.

In the letter, the signatories call on the Minister of Foreign Affairs to ‘consider a package of measures to support pro-democracy activists and the Hong Kong community in Canada and ensure their safety in the face of intimidation and threats from the People’s Republic of China and their apparatchiks in Hong Kong.’

The letter goes on to urge the Canadian Government to coordinate with the UK, USA, Australia, and other likeminded partners on an INTERPOL early warning system to ‘protect pro-democracy activists and ensure they are not unlawfully detained or subjected to transnational repression at the hands of the People’s Republic of China.’

Signatories to the letter include: Senator Leo Housakos, Hon. Irwin Cotler, Hon. Jim Munson, James Bezan MP, Melissa Lantsman MP, John McKay MP, Jenny Kwan MP, Ken Hardie MP, and Tom Kmiec MP.

The full letter can be read here.

This letter from Canadian parliamentarians comes as 56 Hong Kong Civil Society Groups across the world have issued a global statement calling for likeminded governments to coordinate measures to protect pro-democracy activists and the Hong Kong diaspora overseas.

國安處通緝8名海外港人 加拿大國會議員聯署促請政府推行措施保護海外香港社運人士

九名加拿大前任和現任國會議員今天聯署致函加拿大外交部長趙美蘭（Mélanie Joly），呼籲加拿大政府因應香港警方國安處懸紅通緝八名海外香港社運人士採取行動。信函由香港監察統籌，聯署者包括五名加拿大香港監察贊助人。

八名被通緝港人包括出生於加拿大的前泛民立法會議員郭榮鏗，另有兩名同樣身處美國；三名身處英國；兩名身處澳洲。

聯署議員在信中促請加拿大政府「考慮推行一套措施支援身處加拿大的民運人士及香港社群，並保障他們面對中國及其香港黨羽恐嚇和威脅時的安全。」

信函亦呼籲加拿大政府與英國、美國、澳洲及其他志同道合的政府合作，協調設立國際刑警組織預警機制，從而「保護民運人士，確保他們不會被中國非法拘留或跨國鎮壓。」

聯署者包括：參議員Senator Leo Housakos、前司法部長Hon. Irwin Cotler、前參議員Hon. Jim Munson、國會議員James Bezan MP、Melissa Lantsman MP、John McKay MP、Jenny Kwan MP、Ken Hardie MP和Tom Kmiec MP。

請在此處閱讀聯署信全文。

全球56個香港民間團體日前發表聯合聲明，呼籲志同道合的政府協調措施，保護海外民運人士及香港社群。