Pompeo Concerned About HK Activists Held On Mainland

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said overnight on Friday the United States is deeply concerned about 12 Hong Kong democracy activists being held in Guangdong province, saying they have been denied access to lawyers and local authorities have not provided information on their welfare or the charges against them.

The United States questions the Hong Kong leadership's stated commitments to protecting citizens' rights and calls "on authorities to ensure due process," Pompeo said in a statement.

Chief Executive Carrie Lam said last week that if they "were arrested for breaching mainland offences then they have to be dealt with according to the mainland laws".

"We question Chief Executive Lam's stated commitment to protecting the rights of Hong Kong residents, and call on authorities to ensure due process," Pompeo said.

The Hongkongers were intercepted and arrested by mainland coastguards in August for alleged illegal entry while reportedly sailing to Taiwan to seek political asylum. They have been detained in Shenzhen since then.

Lawyers hired by some of families of some of the detainees have been denied access to them, and Shenzhen authorities told them that their clients are being represented by other lawyers already. (Reuters, RTHK)

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