UN urges China to 'ensure due process rights' to 12 Hongkongers detained at sea

United Nations (UN) Human Rights Office has urged China to ensure that 12 Hong Kong people arrested last month by Chinese authorities at sea are ‘ensured due process rights’ along with legal representation after relatives of detainees claimed that ir rights were being violated. relatives of 12 Hong Kongers, who were reportedly seeing to flee to Taiwan by sea, arrested by Chinese authorities h organised an emotional news conference on September 12 demanding group to let m meet lawyers y hire mselves and t ones appointed by China government. 

This was followed by China saying on September 13 that Hong Kong residents were “separatists” while United States Secretary Mile Pompeo dubbed move like a human rights violation. Before UN issued its statement on Twitter, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying has called out her US counterpart Morgan Ortagus for calling m "democratic activists" alleging that y were arrested for illegally crossing border. US has raised ‘deep concern’ over detention and even urged Hong Kong leer Carrie Lam to stay committed to protecting rights of city residents. 

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said, “ United States is deeply concerned that 12 Hong Kong democracy activists, arrested two weeks ago off coast of Hong Kong by Guangdong Maritime Police, have been denied access to lawyers of ir choice. We question Chief Executive Carrie Lam's stated commitment to protecting rights of Hong Kong residents, and call on authorities to ensure due process.” 

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Hong Kong ‘won’t interfere’ in arrests

According to international media reports, earlier this week, Hong Kong government reportedly said that it ‘won’t interfere’ with detention of 12 of its residents despite pleas of ir relatives citing crime to fall under mainland Chinese jurisdiction. former British colony’s ministration reportedly said on September 14 that authorities have received several requests for help from families of residents detained for illegal entry into mainland after trying to flee to Taiwan. Furr ding that such crimes fall under Chinese government and refore, Hong Kong ‘will t interfere’ in law enforcement actions.

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(With AP inputs)