Majority of survey respondents want swift return of 12 Hong Kong activists in mainland custody
The government should act quickly to bring back the 12 Hong Kong activists currently being detained across the border in mainland China, said the majority of respondents in a recent survey conducted by the Hong Kong Public Opinion Institute.
Of the 12,000 people surveyed between Monday and Thursday, 60% agreed that the government should make the request to mainland authorities to send the 12 detainees back to Hong Kong as soon as possible.
Those who opposed such a move from the government accounted for 31% of respondents.
Among the interviewees who identified as supporters of the pro-democracy camp, 91% supported swift action from Hong Kong authorities while only 5% opposed. About 30% of those with other political stances also supported such a move, while 57% were against it.
The 12 Hongkonger were captured by China’s coast guard on Aug. 23 while en route to Taiwan to seek refuge from political persecution. They have since been detained in Shenzhen on accusations of illegal border crossing.
Responses from the poll showed that Hongkongers were worried that Chinese authorities might arbitrarily put the 12 people on trial on the mainland and charge them with more serious offences, such as crimes related to national security, Democratic Party legislator James To said on Friday during a press conference.
These worries have been fueled by the fact that lawyers appointed by the activists' families have been barred from meeting their clients, To said.
The Hong Kong government showed its double standards when it asked the German government to hand over self-exiled activist Ray Wong last year, To said. With the 12 activists currently being detained in Shenzhen, Hong Kong officials failed to make a similar request to the Chinese government, To said.
On Friday, the United Nations Human Rights Office urged Chinese authorities to ensure the rights to due process to the 12 arrested Hongkongers, including granting them swift access to their appointed lawyers.
Amnesty International Hong Kong also launched an online petition calling for mainland authorities to arrange for families and lawyers to meet with the detained Hong Kong activists and to ensure that they are treated humanely.
The NGO also encouraged people to write to the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau to voice their requests.
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