Hong Kong: Relatives of Chinese detainees demand assurance from police

Relatives of 12 Hong Kong citizens, all of whom arrested by Chinese forces, have asked the City’s police to check on their condition and ensure that only lawyers appointed by them and not the Chinese government can meet them. Following the draconian National Security law earlier this year, Hong Kong police, an ally of China, has arrested tens of thousands of people accusing them of committing crimes against the government. Currently, all 12 residents have been detained in Shenzhen city.

Speaking at a press conference, which was organized right outside the Hong Kong police headquarters on September 20, Li Tsz Yin, one of the relatives said, “We want our son back...even though we can't visit him, at least give us a letter from him to confirm that he's there.

As per the US  News, all the 12 people were arrested on August 23 after they were caught entering the mainland Chinese water. Set off from Hong Kong on a boat,  they were all set for Taiwan. All of them have been accused of committing crimes in the anti-govt protests being held in hong kong since 2019.

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No interference by Hong Kong

On September 13, the Hong Kong government said in a press conference that it will not intervene in the case of China’s detention of 12 Hong Kongers at sea who tried to flee to Taiwan on a boat. Calling it a “mainland matter”, the semi-autonomous Hong Kong refused to play a role in altering China’s determination and interests despite repeated pleas from the relatives of those arrested. While the relatives said that China was “compromising legal rights” of the detainees, the People’s Republic called the detainees as “separatists” and rejected the formal request to return them to the territory. 

In a news conference organized after the Hong Kong administration was approached by the desperate families for assistance, the government said, “The relevant crime falls within the jurisdiction of the mainland and the special administrative region government respects”, adding, it will “not interfere with law enforcement actions.”

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 Image credits: AP