Families Of Shenzhen Detainees Ask To Attend Trial

The families of the group of 12 young Hong Kong people detained in Shenzhen have urged the authorities to arrange for them to attend the expected trial on the mainland.

Handing in a petition at Immigration Tower on Monday, two representatives of the families said the mainland authorities should give them at least 20 days notice of the trial, or allow them to be exempt from quarantine arrangements when they cross the border.

"We're worried that the Chinese authorities will use the pandemic as an excuse and administrative measures to prevent us from attending the trial... and the hearings will thus be equivalent to a secret trial," said the wife of detainee Wong Wai-yin.

The families added that they want the mainland authorities to open the trial to the public and webcast the hearings, as well to provide the contacts of lawyers assigned to defend the detainees.

The relatives added that the SAR government should send officers to escort them to Shenzhen.

Eight of the 12 young people have been charged with crossing the border illegally and two with the more serious offence of organising the trip.

Rather than going on trial, two others face a hearing with prosecutors because they are underage, authorities announced last week.

The 12 were allegedly trying to flee to Taiwan by speedboat when they were intercepted by the Guangdong coast guard on August 23. Most of the group had earlier been accused of protest-related offences in Hong Kong.