US Secretary of State Denounces Hong Kong Authorities' Targeting of Democracy Advocates

The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, denounced this Friday the “contempt” of the Hong Kong authorities “for international standards and Human Rights” after the announcement of charges related to the National Security Law and a list of compensation that “unfairly targets defenders of democracy abroad, including a US citizen and other people living in the US.”

«The United States denounces the announcement by Hong Kong authorities of a new reward list targeting democracy advocates abroad, including a US citizen. “We reject this attempt to threaten and harass those who advocate for freedom and democracy,” the secretary wrote on the social network X, formerly Twitter.

In this sense, Blinken has expressed the firm opposition of the US Executive to “any attempt to intimidate and silence people who choose to make the US their home”, ensuring that “they will not falter in defending those who are persecuted simply for exercising their Human Rights.” ».

Furthermore, the United States has repudiated China’s attempt to use the aforementioned compensation “to threaten and harass those who defend freedom and democracy” and has urged the Hong Kong authorities to “respect the protected rights and freedoms enumerated in the Basic Law.” .

Previously, the department’s spokesperson, Matthew Miller, had already “strongly condemned the atrocious actions taken by the Hong Kong authorities”: “They show blatant disregard for international standards, democracy and human rights,” he stated.

These actions, the State representative has now criticized, have contributed to the “deterioration of that city’s once proud tradition of respecting the rule of law.”

Likewise, Blinken has appealed to the international community to request that it join in condemning what he has described as an “act of transnational repression.”

“The United States remains committed to defending the rights and freedoms of all people and calls on the People’s Republic of China to act consistently with its international commitments and legal obligations,” the US Secretary of State concluded.

This statement comes after the head of the Hong Kong Government, John Lee, endorsed this Friday that the assets of those suspected of violating the National Security Law can be frozen without a prior judicial order or approval and until their processes are dismissed.

Beijing imposed the aforementioned law in Hong Kong in June 2020 to prohibit acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces after a strong wave of protests against the Government. Since then, numerous Human Rights defense organizations have warned of the risk it poses to fundamental freedoms and rights in the region.