Hong Kong to seek return of 2 minors after mainland China finishes legal process
The Hong Kong government will request the return of 12 detained Hongkongers, including two underage suspects, after mainland China authorities complete legal procedures on their alleged offenses, the Security Bureau has said.
The group of 12 had been held in custody in the Yantian district detention center in Shenzhen since August for illegally crossing the boundary, after China’s coast guard foiled their attempt to flee to Taiwan by boat.
Because of their ages, the two young suspects would have their cases presented in a closed-door hearing, the Yantian People’s Procuratorate said on Wednesday.
The plan to hold a closed-door hearing for underage defendants was a signal that mainland prosecutors might make a conditional decision not to prosecute them, which would be similar to a binding-over order under Hong Kong law, barrister Chow Hang-tung told Apple Daily.
According to the criminal procedure law in mainland China, the People’s Procuratorate may decide, with conditions, to call off the prosecution if the minors show remorse; otherwise they may be sentenced for up to a year in prison.
The procurators are expected to consider the views of public security authorities and the defendants before deciding on the conditional release. They may conduct supervision and visits over the course of six months to one year, to ensure the youngsters strictly follow the rules of their release, including the need to report on their activities and to get approval before leaving their homes.
Chinese authorities have charged two of the 12 with organizing an illegal border crossing, and the remaining eight members of the group with unlawfully crossing the border.
In Hong Kong, one of the minors is charged with attempted arson and possession of offensive weapons, while the other faces alternate charges of arson and possession of anything with intent to damage property. Their failure to appear in court previously has prompted the local judiciary to issue arrest warrants, so once they are returned to Hong Kong, the city’s police will likely arrest them and send them for trial.
The bureau said in reply to Apple Daily enquiries that it would ask mainland counterparts to send the 12 back to Hong Kong so as to deal with their alleged crimes.
Click
here for Chinese version
---------------------------------
Apple Daily’s all-new English Edition is now available on the mobile app:
bit.ly/2yMMfQETo download the latest version,
Or search Appledaily in App Store or Google Play