Time To Drop Extradition Law Plans: Michael Tien

Roundtable lawmaker Michael Tien has asked the government to withdraw its planned amendments to extradition laws, saying the move has proven to be too controversial.

In a letter to Chief Executive Carrie Lam, the pro-government lawmaker said officials should first deal with an extradition request by Taiwan for a Hong Kong man who is believed to have killed his girlfriend on the island last year.

The authorities could then take their time over efforts to plug a loophole in the SAR's laws on the return of fugitives, Tien said.

The legislator said he agrees with the Civic Party's proposal of granting Hong Kong courts extra-territorial jurisdiction so they could put permanent residents of the SAR on trial for serious crimes committed overseas.

He added that non-permanent residents could still be extradited on a case-by-case basis, as per the administration's current proposals.

Tien said such a move would reduce the fear that some Hong Kong people have that they could be handed over to the mainland for alleged offences dating back many years.