LONDON, 28 June. - (ANA) - Senior journalists and editors formerly based in Asia call for release of 47 Hong Kong pro-democracy activists on trial under “unjust” National Security law.

 

Claudia Mo and all the other “Hong Kong 47” are political prisoners, threatened with long jail sentences because of their ideas, not their actions, in flagrant violation of the China-U.K. Joint Declaration and Basic Law, and of all principles of justice.

 

We condemn the Hong Kong Government for their unjust imprisonment. All British and other foreign judges who collude with Hong Kong’s politicised judiciary are themselves culpable and should resign their posts. As with Soviet-era dissidents such as Andrei Sakharov and Vaclav Havel, it is absolutely essential that governments in democratic countries speak out plainly against the persecution of Claudia Mo and others who are wrongly jailed in Hong Kong. 

 

We salute the courage and commitment of the Hong Kong 47, and urge everyone who values respect for individual freedom and the rule of law to join us in demanding their immediate release.

 

Bill Emmott, editor of The Economist 1993-2006; author of Bill Emmott’s Global View Newsletter

 

John H Harris, CBS News Hong Kong producer 1976 and Tokyo Bureau Chief 1976-1981

 

Andrew Horvat, President, Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan (FCCJ), 1988-1989

 

William Horsley, BBC Tokyo bureau chief, 1983-1990; World Affairs correspondent, 1997-2007

 

Hamish McDonald, Beijing correspondent, 2002-2005, and former foreign editor, The Sydney Morning Herald

 

Fernando Mezzetti, Beijing correspondent, Il Giornale, 1980-1983

 

Philippe Ries, senior AFP correspondent in Hong Kong, 1996-1998          - (ANA) -

 

AB/ANA/28 June 2022 — - -