Foreign ministers from Australia, the United States, Britain and Canada issued a joint statement expressing “serious concern” about the arrest of 55 activists and supporters of democracy in Hong Kong last week.
Prisons were by far the biggest action carried out under the National Security Law (NSL) that China imposed on semi-autonomous territory just over six months ago.
“It is clear that national security law is being used to eliminate opposing political differences and opinions,” said the four foreign ministers on Sunday.
The Chinese and Hong Kong governments say the law is necessary to restore order in a city that was rocked in 2019 by months of often violent protests against the government demanding more democracy.
Most inmates last week had participated in the unofficial primaries in a legislative election that was later postponed. The authorities claim that the primaries were part of a conspiracy to take control of the legislature to paralyze the government and force the city’s leader to step down.
The 55 were not charged and all but three were released on bail pending investigation. Convictions can disqualify them from running for public office.
The four chancellors said the next legislative election should include candidates representing a variety of political views. Only half of the city’s legislature is elected by popular vote.
“We call on the central authorities of Hong Kong and China to respect the legally guaranteed rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong, without fear of arrest and detention,” they wrote.
The declaration was signed by Marise Payne from Australia, François-Philippe Champagne from Canada, Dominic Raab from the United Kingdom and Mike Pompeo from the United States.
Separately, Pompeo announced on Saturday that the United States was lifting long-standing restrictions on how its diplomats and others have contact with colleagues in Taiwan, an autonomous island that China says it should be under its rule.
Actions in Taiwan and Hong Kong will undoubtedly infuriate China, which sees these measures as foreign interference in its internal affairs.
The Trump administration, which is in its final days, will also send Kelly Craft, its ambassador to the United Nations, to Taiwan later this week. China harshly criticized the next visit, while the Taiwanese government hailed it.