United States Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has urged for the immediate release of 12 Hong Kong activists detained in mainland China, as he slammed the Communist Party for turning the city into East Berlin.

The 12 Hongkongers were intercepted at sea on Aug. 23 while attempting to flee to Taiwan and have since been held in Shenzhen. Chinese authorities announced this week that 10 would be prosecuted and the other two — both under 18 — would face a closed-door hearing.

“The Hong Kong 12 should be released immediately. Their so-called ‘crime’ was to flee tyranny,” Pompeo tweeted. “Communist China today is turning Hong Kong into the East Berlin of yesteryear, actively preventing its own people from seeking freedom elsewhere,” he added.

Pompeo had previously criticized authorities for barring the 12 arrestees from meeting lawyers appointed by their families and said on another occasion that the 12 did not commit any crimes.

The Hong Kong government expressed strong dissatisfaction with Pompeo’s remarks, saying that he had “totally disregarded the facts” and had confused what was right and wrong.

The government called the 12 “absconders” and said they were wanted persons suspected of committing various serious offences in Hong Kong and had fled the city through illegal means.

It added that it would not interfere with the law enforcement and judicial procedures of other jurisdictions. Hong Kong will ask for the 12′s return after their offences in the mainland were dealt with, it said.

Those who break the law must face justice, the government said. “This is something any society that upholds the rule of law should do.”

In its statement, the government also defended the police and the judiciary in their handling of cases.

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