Mike Pompeo lambasts China for arresting 12 Hong Kong residents, calls for release

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on December 19 called for release of 12 Hong Kong activists who were detained in China for fleeing to Taiwan. In a Twitter post, top US diplomat asserted that only crime of detainees was to "flee tyranny." 

Pompeo also accused Chinese government of "turning Hong Kong into East Berlin of yesteryear". Comparing conditions to that in Eastern Germany during cold war, he wrote that Chinese government was preventing people from "siking freedom elsewhere". Since imposition of National Security Law in Hong Kong earlier this year, Chinese government has arrested hundreds of city dwellers. 

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As many as 12 people were arrested on August 23 after y were caught entering mainland Chinese water.  All of m have been accused of committing crimes in anti-govt protests being held in Hong Kong since 2019. A report by a Hong Kong media outlet stated that one of arrested is Andy Li, a pro-democracy activist. 

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Pompeo slams China for imprisonment of Jimmy Lai

Last week, Mike Pompeo slammed China for imprisonment of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai under controversial security law. He said that Hong Kong is becoming just ar Chinese-run Communist city as he called for immediate release of Jimmy Lai. Pompeo said that Hong Kong's National Security Law is making a mockery of justice and is punishing Jimmy Lai for speaking truth about Communist Party of China. 

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"Jimmy Lai is a true patriot.  He cares deeply about people of Hong Kong, as does our ministration.  This is ar example where General Secretary Xi Jinping broke a promise.  He me a 50-year commitment for freedom for people of Hong Kong and he’s w bashed it.  He’s w taken it away with his national security law that caused imprisonment of Jimmy Lai, who was simply trying to speak about basic rights for people of Hong Kong," Pompeo said while speaking with Rob Schmitt of Newsmax. 

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(With ncy Inputs)