London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Jul 30, 2025

Hong Kong slams ‘improper’ international call for return of 12 city fugitives

Hong Kong slams ‘improper’ international call for return of 12 city fugitives

Open letter to Hong Kong leader says continued failure to push for transfer represents a ‘gross abdication’ of her responsibility to city residents.

An open letter issued by more than 150 lawmakers from 18 countries urging Hong Kong’s leader to demand the immediate return of the 12 city fugitives detained in China has drawn a strong rebuke from the government, dismissing the call as “entirely improper”.

It has been more than 100 days since the dozen – all of whom are wanted in connection with last year’s anti-government protests– were arrested at sea by the Chinese coastguard while attempting to flee to Taiwan in August. They have been held in a Shenzhen detention centre ever since.

Last week, police in the southern Chinese city handed the case to prosecutors to rule if they should move ahead with criminal proceedings against the Hongkongers, who stand accused of entering waters illegally or organising an illegal border crossing.


US Senator Marco Rubio, who has been outspoken in his criticism of the Hong Kong government, was one of the signatories to the letter.


In an open letter published on Tuesday, 155 lawmakers from countries including the United States, Britain, Australia, Germany and Japan, urged Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor to raise the case with Chinese officials in Beijing to ensure the detainees were guaranteed justice.

“To continue to fail to do so would be a gross abdication of your responsibility to serve the people of Hong Kong and ensure their well-being and safety,” the letter read.

They also expressed concerns about the justice system, which they said commonly employed torture and forced confessions, demanding she help the city residents return home to stand trial and ensure they have direct contact with their families and legal representatives.

But in a strongly worded statement issued late on Wednesday, the Hong Kong government denounced foreign lawmakers’ “entirely improper” calls for their return, which it described as a display of double standards.

“We condemn these politicians for turning a blind eye to the violence and serious crimes for which these absconded suspects are facing trial,” a government spokeswoman said.

“They should not condone the abscondment of suspects who are pending court trial, seeking to evade legal liabilities and in violation of court orders, by beautifying their escape from justice and ignoring justice for political reasons.“

So far, none of the lawyers hired by the detainees’ families had been able to visit their clients, with Chinese authorities repeatedly requesting they drop the cases, saying the group – 11 men and one woman aged 16 to 33 – had already been appointed representation.


The 12 Hongkongers now detained in Shenzhen were captured at sea while attempting to flee to Taiwan.


Among the politicians signing the joint letter were US Senate Intelligence Committee chairman Marco Rubio, one of the key advocates of the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act; US House Foreign Affairs Committee chair Eliot Engel; UK Foreign Affairs Committee chair Tom Tugendhat; and New Zealand Foreign Affairs Committee chair Simon O’Connor.

Lam has previously said authorities enjoyed the jurisdictional right to detain the 12 fugitives, arguing that those who depicted them as “oppressed democracy activists” were trying to distract from their status as individuals wanted by police.

Benedict Rogers, who heads the London-based advocacy group Hong Kong Watch, said the latest joint letter reflected an international consensus that it was “a watershed case” that could determine if it would become common for Hongkongers to be held on the and stand trial there.

On Tuesday, localist activists set up street booths in various districts of the city to promote awareness of the 12 Hongkongers’ plight. Owen Chow Ka-sing, who handed out fliers in Causeway Bay, said local police had intervened and videotaped the whole process, a claim the force had rejected in the past.

Human rights group Amnesty International earlier warned that the dozen were at risk of torture, believing they had been subjected to some of “the most common tactics from the Chinese police’s playbook”.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Former Judge Charged After Drunk Driving Crash Kills Comedian in Brazil
Jeff Bezos hasn’t paid a dollar in taxes for decades. He makes billions and pays $0 in taxes, LEGALLY
China Increases Use of Exit Bans Amid Rising U.S. Tensions
IMF Upgrades Global Growth Forecast as Weaker Dollar Supports Outlook
Procter & Gamble to Raise U.S. Prices to Offset One‑Billion‑Dollar Tariff Cost
House Republicans Move to Defund OECD Over Global Tax Dispute
Botswana Seeks Controlling Stake in De Beers as Anglo American Prepares Exit
Trump Administration Proposes Repeal of Obama‑Era Endangerment Finding, Dismantling Regulatory Basis for CO₂ Emissions Limits
France Opens Criminal Investigation into X Over Algorithm Manipulation Allegations
A family has been arrested in the UK for displaying the British flag
Mel Gibson refuses to work with Robert De Niro, saying, "Keep that woke clown away from me."
Trump Steamrolls EU in Landmark Trade Win: US–EU Trade Deal Imposes 15% Tariff on European Imports
ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman says people share personal info with ChatGPT but don’t know chats can be used as court evidence in legal cases.
The British propaganda channel BBC News lies again.
Deputy attorney general's second day of meeting with Ghislaine Maxwell has concluded
Controversial March in Switzerland Features Men Dressed in Nazi Uniforms
Politics is a good business: Barack Obama’s Reported Net Worth Growth, 1990–2025
Thai Civilian Death Toll Rises to 12 in Cambodian Cross-Border Attacks
TSUNAMI: Trump Just Crossed the Rubicon—And There’s No Turning Back
Over 120 Criminal Cases Dismissed in Boston Amid Public Defender Shortage
UN's Top Court Declares Environmental Protection a Legal Obligation Under International Law
"Crazy Thing": OpenAI's Sam Altman Warns Of AI Voice Fraud Crisis In Banking
The Podcaster Who Accidentally Revealed He Earns Over $10 Million a Year
Trump Announces $550 Billion Japanese Investment and New Trade Agreements with Indonesia and the Philippines
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
×