Relatives of 12 Hong Kong fugitives detained on the Chinese mainland after trying to flee the territory yesterday petitioned Beijing, pleading for their loved ones to be returned.
The small gathering outside China’s Liaison Office in Hong Kong came as its director said that authorities needed to do more to instill patriotism in the territory, which was rocked by seven months of pro-democracy protests last year.
“As Chinese, patriotism is not a choice, it’s a duty and a righteous path,” said office director Luo Huining (駱惠寧), Beijing’s top official in the territory.
Photo: Bloomberg
Luo was speaking ahead of China’s National Day today.
Democracy supporters have been denied permission to march on the holiday.
Authorities cited security concerns and measures to limit the spread of COVID-19, which have made protest all but impossible for most of this year.
As Luo spoke, five relatives of the detained Hong Kongers rallied outside the Liaison Office.
Police did not break up the gathering and no official met the group.
The Hong Kongers were detained in August by the Chinese Coast Guard as they tried to flee to Taiwan in a speedboat.
They were all facing protest-linked prosecutions in Hong Kong.
The group has since disappeared into China’s judicial system.
Relatives say that they have been denied access to family-
appointed lawyers and authorities have not given adequate updates on their health or well-being.
“I have no information of my son,” a man who identified himself as the father of detainee Cheng Tsz-ho (鄭子豪), told reporters, weeping as he spoke.
“They ask us not to badger them any more,” a woman who identified herself as the mother of Li Tsz-yin (李子賢) said. “Why shouldn’t we when our family members have gone missing?”
“We can’t send any medicine or do anything,” she said.
Mainland authorities say that the fugitives are being held on suspicion of “illegal border crossing” and must face mainland law before they are returned to face any earlier prosecution.
Meanwhile, a court granted bail to Joshua Wong (黃之鋒), one of the territory’s most prominent dissidents, following an arrest for his involvement in one of last year’s protests.
He faces three protest-linked prosecutions.
“Even if they try to arrest us, prosecute us and lock us up in prison, there is no reason for us to surrender,” he told reporters outside the courthouse.
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