Melbourne:
Foreign ministers from the United States, Canada, Britain and Australia condemned final week’s arrest of more than 50 democracy activists in Hong Kong in a joint statement on Sunday, calling on China to respect the freedom of the individuals on the island.
Hong Kong police produced the arrests on Wednesday in dawn raids, the most significant crackdown due to the fact China imposed a safety law in 2020, which opponents say is aimed at quashing dissent in the former British colony.
“It is clear that the National Security Law is being used to eliminate dissent and opposing political views,” the foreign ministers mentioned in the joint statement issued by Australia’s Foreign Minister Marise Payne.
“We call on the Hong Kong and Chinese central authorities to respect the legally guaranteed rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong without fear of arrest and detention.”
Hong Kong’s most prominent pro-democracy advocates had been arrested as authorities mentioned final year’s unofficial vote to decide on opposition candidates in city elections was element of a strategy to “overthrow” the government.
On Thursday, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo mentioned Washington may well sanction these involved in the arrests and will send the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations to take a look at Taiwan.
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