PRESS RELEASE
Brussels
18 July 2019
European Union Members of Parliament are set to debate the situation in Hong Kong following weeks of protests sparked by the controversial extradition bill.
Speaking ahead of the debate the co-chairs of the European Green Party Reinhard Bütikofer and Monica Frassoni said:
“China must continue to respect Hong Kong’s high degree of autonomy and its rights and freedoms as part of the ‘One Country, Two Systems’ model. The millions of people on the streets since protests kicked off in June have made it abundantly clear that the extradition bill would be a serious breach of Hong Kong's freedoms. Hong Kong’s CEO Carrie Lam must now listen to the will of the people and withdraw the bill completely.
“The firing of rubber bullets and mass detention of peaceful protestors by the police was an extreme use of force and must immediately be subject to an independent investigation. Hong Kong’s Basic Law still guarantees freedom of speech, association and assembly even if China wants to bring the special administrative region under its orbit of control.
“The Greens will always stand up to defend the rule of law, the independence of the judiciary, fundamental freedoms and rights wherever they are under threat. We call on the EU to honour its commitment to stand up for pro-democracy campaigners and support Hong Kong’s right to aim at systemic reform to implement the direct election of its leadership as enshrined in its Basic Law."
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Paul Nolan
E paul.nolan@europeangreens.eu
M +32 475 94 69 81
T +32 2 626 07 26
European Green Party
Rue Wiertz 31, 1050 Brussels, Belgium
www.europeangreens.eu
