to urge them to suspend their extradition treaties with Hong Kong and the People’s Republic of China
April 6, 2022
Following Hong Kong Watch becoming the first foreign organisation to be targeted by Hong Kong’s National Security Law, Hong Kong Watch’s Chief Executive has today written to the eleven EU Member States that continue to have active extradition treaties with either Hong Kong or the People’s Republic of China. They include: Belgium, Portugal, Czech Republic, Italy, France, Cyprus, Spain, Bulgaria, Romania, Lithuania, and Greece.
Benedict Rogers, Hong Kong Watch’s Chief Executive, in the letter notes that following being targeted under the National Security Law, he has received personal guidance regarding his safety and the safety of Hong Kong Watch staff if they travel to third countries with active extradition treaties.
In the letter he urges the EU countries in question to review these extradition arrangements and offer “a written assurance to Hong Kong Watch staff, including myself, that we will not face detention, delays, or interference when entering your country whether it is for business or on holiday as a result of this extradition treaty arrangement.”
Commenting on the letters, Benedict Rogers, said:
“The Chinese Government and their acolytes in the Hong Kong Government continue to abuse these extradition arrangements to threaten human rights defenders and activists in Europe, who are speaking out against the ongoing human rights crackdown in Hong Kong.
Following advice Hong Kong Watch has received from the UK Government, we are today writing to eleven EU countries to urge them to review their extradition treaties and offer a written assurance that Hong Kong Watch staff will not face detention, delays, or interference entering their countries.
It is time these countries implemented the EU Council conclusions from July 2020 and followed the subsequent EU Parliament resolutions and suspended these extradition arrangements, which should be a source of growing embarrassment for the governments in question.”
Source: hongkongwatch.org