REPRESSION: More than fifty opposition figures, including a US lawyer, has been arrested in Hong Kong, the biggest crackdown to date under China’s recent national security law
France criticized this Wednesday the arrest of fifty opposition figures militant for democracy in Hong Kong, denouncing “the continued deterioration” of the political situation in this former British colony and recalling its attachment to its autonomy.
These arrests mark “a new worrying stage in the continued deterioration of the situation in Hong Kong since the adoption of the law on national security,” reacted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement. “This development comes on top of the multiple pressures to which the press and the pro-democracy opposition have been subjected in recent months, calling into question the possibility of democratic expression provided for by the Hong Kong Basic Law.”
“Solidarity” measures by the EU
France is following in the footsteps of London, the European Union and Antony Blinken, chosen by US President-elect Joe Biden to be the future head of diplomacy for the United States. “This subject is the subject of consultations with our European partners,” noted the Quai d’Orsay, stressing that “solidarity” measures had already been taken at EU level.
“Changes in the situation are taken into account in the implementation of these measures. France reiterates its attachment to the autonomy of Hong Kong and to respect for the independence of the judiciary, the rule of law and fundamental freedoms, guaranteed by the Fundamental Law of Hong Kong and the principle of “one country, two systems, ”the ministry concluded.
