A democracy activist now in self-exile has voiced worries that 12 other Hongkongers held in mainland China may become victims of the country’s hostage diplomacy.

Sunny Cheung, who fled Hong Kong prior to a court hearing on Tuesday, calls on fellow Hong Kong residents to support rescue efforts for the 12, including a campaign initiated by the pro-democratic camp that is asking “everyone to send a postcard.”

He believes that putting pressure on local authorities may help to prevent inhumane treatment of the detainees across the border.

“We all know that China is nothing close to a civilized country that respects human rights,” Cheung said, criticizing its record of torturing human rights defenders and dissidents.

He pointed out that no one knew the 12 detainees' physical condition and that they were being represented only by lawyers appointed by the Chinese authorities. Based on past cases of mainland Chinese inmates, it was very likely that the affected families in Hong Kong would not be notified of the court hearing dates and details, Cheung said.

Hostage diplomacy was a tactic often used by China to bargain with foreign powers as its reputation was tainted and military power inadequate, according to Cheung, who cited the detention of two Canadians, former diplomat Michael Kovrig and entrepreneur Michael Spavor.

He expected that in the near future, China would not release the 12 Hongkongers, one of whom held a Portuguese passport, in order to apply pressure on the international community.

The 12 were allegedly captured on Aug. 23 in mainland waters after trying to flee to Taiwan via speedboat. In Hong Kong, they had been arrested for crimes related to last year’s mass anti-government protests against a now-scrapped extradition bill. They are also the first group of Hong Kong protesters in mainland custody after Beijing’s passage of a national security law for the city on June 30.

Cheung believed that continued attention and support from external parties would be helpful, citing the case of human rights lawyer Wang Quanzhang. Wang had said that his treatment during detention was somehow related to the degree of attention paid to his case by the outside world.

Cheung himself skipped town after coming under prosecution for participating in an unauthorised assembly with 25 other pro-democracy activists at the end of the Tiananmen Square vigil on June 4. He decided to flee partly because of worries of becoming a diplomatic hostage and the increasing harassment his family and partner were facing.

The pro-democratic camp is urging Hongkongers to each send a postcard to the Yantian Detention Center in Shenzhen where the 12 activists are said to be kept, to show their support and to tell the Hong Kong government that they have not forgotten about the detainees.

Meanwhile, 14 Central and Western District council members have issued an open letter to Chief Executive Carrie Lam urging the government to answer the plea of the affected families for the 12 to be deported back to Hong Kong.

One of the councilors, Fergus Leung, said he would move a motion in the next full council meeting, scheduled for late September, to show support for the 12 detainees. He also urged the government to send them medicine and to allow lawyers appointed by their families to meet with them.

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