Hong Kong: Religious groups call for amnesty for activists charged under national security law

Hong Kong still faces political unrest due to China’s intervention with a national security law. Religious groups are now calling for Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam to drop the charges against political activists that have been detained under the said national security law.

A coalition made up of groups of Catholics and Christians signed a petition addressed to Lam, calling to drop the charges against media figure Jimmy Lai and other political activists that were detained under Beijing’s imposed national security law. The petition was given to a government representative outside Hong Kong’s government headquarters.

“She could be active in asking Beijing,” said Catholic priest Franco Mella, referring to Lam. Lam is also a devout Catholic. “Let’s hope she gives an answer to the voice of her conscience as a Catholic. I hope more voices can be heard about the possibility of an amnesty for them.”

Among the signatories of the petition addressed to Lam was UK Reverend Alan Smith of St. Albans and Lord Eames, the former archbishop of Armagh in Ireland. Mella also said he hopes the Pope would also join in speaking out against the ongoing issues in Hong Kong.

Beijing imposed the national security law in 2019, outlawing subversion, collusion with foreign forces, terrorism, and secession with possible life imprisonment sentences. Since the implementation of the law, over 160 people have been arrested. Human rights groups and Western governments criticized the law, saying that it was China’s attempt to dismantle freedoms and silence dissent.

47 pro-democracy activists and former lawmakers are included in those who were arrested under the law in early 2021, including Lai.

The former British colony that still retains its freedoms has also seen pro-democracy media outlets shut down either due to a raid by pro-Beijing authorities or out of fear. Hong Kong’s CitizenNews announced early January that it has decided to stop publishing, with reporters citing that the recent raid on another media outlet, StandNews was its reason to cease publication.

“We have been trying our best not to violate any laws but we can no longer see clearly the lines of law enforcement and we can no longer feel safe to work,” said the outlet’s co-founder Chris Yeung.