Taiwan authorities urged not to send Hong Kong asylum seekers home
蘋果日報 2020/06/10 12:23
Civil rights groups in Taiwan have urged the island's government to amend its laws to guarantee asylum seekers from Hong Kong would not be sent home or elsewhere against their wish.
More Hong Kongers are expected to seek refuge in the self-ruled island after Beijing enacts a national security law tailor-made for Hong Kong that many fear would greatly undermine the territory’s existing civil liberties.
In a press conference held in front of the Presidential Office Building in Taipei on Tuesday, the groups revealed their proposal for amendments to be made to Taiwan’s Laws and Regulations Regarding Hong Kong & Macao Affairs.
Section 18 of the law stipulates that “necessary assistance shall be provided to Hong Kong or Macau Residents whose safety and liberty are immediately threatened for political reasons."
The ruling Democratic Progressive Party administration, however, has so far maintained that existing laws are sufficient.
Their proposal came as President Tsai Ing-wen is expected to reveal on Thursday her administration's plan to provide humanitarian aid to Hong Kongers who seek refuge from political persecutions back home. The plan reportedly would include the provision of centralized accommodation for Hong Kongers who are rendered homeless in Taiwan.
The groups urged the Tsai administration to set up a clearly defined mechanism to handle asylum claims and appeals. Applicants who can provide factual evidence to prove that their political views can endanger their personal safety back home should be granted asylum, the proposal stated. At least one-third of the government body which vets asylum cases should be composed of members from the academia or highly esteemed figures with a non-official background, according to the proposal.
The groups and Hong Kong activists in Taiwan will organise a rally on Saturday to urge the Taiwanese government to improve its asylum seekers assistance mechanism. They also call on the administration to ban Hong Kong police from entering Taiwan and reconsider current foreign investment policies that set Hong Kong enterprises apart from mainland Chinese companies.
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More Hong Kongers are expected to seek refuge in the self-ruled island after Beijing enacts a national security law tailor-made for Hong Kong that many fear would greatly undermine the territory’s existing civil liberties.
In a press conference held in front of the Presidential Office Building in Taipei on Tuesday, the groups revealed their proposal for amendments to be made to Taiwan’s Laws and Regulations Regarding Hong Kong & Macao Affairs.
Section 18 of the law stipulates that “necessary assistance shall be provided to Hong Kong or Macau Residents whose safety and liberty are immediately threatened for political reasons."
The ruling Democratic Progressive Party administration, however, has so far maintained that existing laws are sufficient.
Their proposal came as President Tsai Ing-wen is expected to reveal on Thursday her administration's plan to provide humanitarian aid to Hong Kongers who seek refuge from political persecutions back home. The plan reportedly would include the provision of centralized accommodation for Hong Kongers who are rendered homeless in Taiwan.
The groups urged the Tsai administration to set up a clearly defined mechanism to handle asylum claims and appeals. Applicants who can provide factual evidence to prove that their political views can endanger their personal safety back home should be granted asylum, the proposal stated. At least one-third of the government body which vets asylum cases should be composed of members from the academia or highly esteemed figures with a non-official background, according to the proposal.
The groups and Hong Kong activists in Taiwan will organise a rally on Saturday to urge the Taiwanese government to improve its asylum seekers assistance mechanism. They also call on the administration to ban Hong Kong police from entering Taiwan and reconsider current foreign investment policies that set Hong Kong enterprises apart from mainland Chinese companies.
---------------------------------
Apple Daily’s all-new English Edition is now available on the mobile app
To know more: https://bit.ly/2yMMfQE
Apple Daily mobile app latest version DOWNLOAD NOW