'Bill Puts Rights Workers, Journalists In Danger'

Three prominent international rights organisations have warned that proposed changes to extradition laws will put at risk anyone in Hong Kong who has carried out work related to the mainland, including human rights defenders, journalists, and NGO workers.

Amnesty, Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor and Human Rights Watch said in an open letter to Chief Executive Carrie Lam that the existing legislation expressly excludes the mainland from extradition and mutual legal assistance arrangements. It was a deliberate decision reflecting concerns about the mainland's poor human rights record, they said.

The organisations also pointed out that the protection offered by Hong Kong courts for suspects would be limited once the evidence adduced by the government reaches prima facie level. A suspect cannot cite evidence and raise a defence and there is no cross-examination of the evidence, they noted.

The organisations also said that the mainland's justice system has a record of arbitrary detention, torture, violations of fair trial rights and enforced disappearances.

"These problems are exacerbated because the mainland judiciary lacks independence from the government and the Chinese Communist Party," they said

The organisations called on the government to immediately halt its plan to amend the legislation.