Fugitive Law Opponents Seek Overseas Support

A delegation of local democratic activists will visit Canada and the United States over the next two weeks, seeking support from overseas governments and communities against the Carrie Lam administration's proposed amendments to extradition laws.

The SAR government says proposed changes to the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance are needed to plug a "loophole".

But the delegation, which will be led by the founding chairman of the Democratic Party, Martin Lee, says the amendments are a threat to Hong Kong people's freedoms, the safety of foreigners passing through the SAR, as well as the city's status as an international business hub.

The delegation will also include former lawmakers Lee Cheuk-yan, Nathan Law and Margaret Ng, and the former chairperson of the Hong Kong Journalists Association Mak Yin-ting.

"I think every government has a stake in it," said Lee. "So we are there to alert the governments that they need to stand up to protect their citizens as well as Hong Kong's international city status and its high autonomy."

Lee told RTHK's Richard Pyne that the recent massive street protest against the bill showed the worries that Hong Kong people have about the proposal.

"There are three fronts now: the street power front, and Legco front, and also I think the international front," he said. "We hope that three fronts together can really stop the bill."

Lee said the SAR government had invited foreign intervention because the changes could affect foreign nationals.

He said the mainland's judicial system was "quite vengeful", so there may be political arrests in Hong Kong to make a point to other governments.