OVER 100 PARLIAMENTARIANS CALL FOR RELEASE OF JAILED HONG KONG ACTIVIST ANDY LI IN GLOBAL STATEMENT
An international cross-party group of over 100 parliamentarians have signed a statement in support of jailed Hong Kong activist Andy Li in a move coordinated by the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China. Nearly all of the legislators singled out for sanctions by the Chinese government last week are included in the signatories.
Andy Li was arrested under Hong Kong’s National Security Law in August last year. Fearing that he would not receive a fair trial, Andy Li was one of the 12 Hong Kong youths who mounted a failed attempt to flee to Taiwan. For the past seven months, Andy Li had been imprisoned in Shenzhen on charges of attempting to cross the border illegally.
Last month, Andy Li was transferred to Hong Kong where he is reportedly held in solitary confinement in a psychiatric unit with an alleged history of abuses against its inmates. He has been denied access to his family or chosen lawyers.
Represented among the 115 signatories to the statement are parliamentarians across 18 legislatures, including the United States, the European Parliament, Japan, Australia and the United Kingdom. Signatories from the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China include US Senators Bob Menendez, Jeff Merkley and Marco Rubio, former leader of the UK Conservative Party Sir Iain Duncan Smith, German Greens Margarete Bause MdB and Reinhard Bütikofer MEP, Australian Senator Kimberley Kitching and former Japanese defence minister Rep Gen Nakatani.
The statement calls on the Hong Kong authorities to release Andy Li and all other political prisoners. Andy Li’s case is described as “emblematic of the Chinese Government’s ruthless crackdown on Hong Kong’s way of life, and disregard for the international treaties designed to protect it.”
The signatories commit to making urgent representations on Andy’s behalf to their respective governments.
Beatrice Li, Andy Li’s sister said:
“If Andy is being silenced then we who are still free have to speak up for him. Beijing could try to take individuals, but they can’t kill us all. Andy knows this, too. If we show solidarity with him, we believe change can happen.”
Miriam Lexmann MEP, co-chair of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, said:
“Our concerns for Andy Li grow day by day. Andy is a peace loving democrat, a true Hong Konger who has done no wrong. The Hong Kong authorities must release him and all other political prisoners. The international community must send a clear message to Beijing: Andy Li will not be forgotten.”
Chris Bryant MP, member of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China and the UK Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee said:
“Andy Li’s continued detention in solitary confinement is highly distressing. Andy Li is a peaceful citizen who loves Hong Kong. His courage and fortitude is an inspiration to us all. Our governments must make urgent representations to the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, demanding that Andy Li be released without delay.”
STATEMENT ON THE TREATMENT OF HONG KONG ACTIVIST ANDY LI
We the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, together with our allies, deplore the treatment of Hong Kong democracy campaigner, Andy Li.
Having been detained for seven months in Shenzhen, Andy has now been returned to Hong Kong where he has been remanded to solitary confinement in a psychiatric facility. His family has not been able to contact him.
Such cruel and inhumane treatment is particularly egregious in light of the fact that Andy has done nothing to warrant it.
Andy Li is a peace-loving democrat, motivated by love for his home city and the fulfilment of the promises made to Hong Kong through the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law.
His case has become emblematic of the Chinese Government’s ruthless crackdown on Hong Kong’s way of life, and disregard for the international treaties designed to protect it.
We call upon the Hong Kong authorities to release Andy Li together with all of those unjustly detained for democracy activism. We commit to making urgent representations on Andy’s behalf to our respective governments.
STATEMENT ENDS
SIGNATORIES
Australia
Senator Eric Abetz
Kevin Andrews MP
Senator Alex Antic
George Christensen MP
Senator Concetta Fierravanti-Wells
Senator Kimberley Kitching
Senator James Paterson*
Belgium
Samuel Cogolati MP*
Georges Dallemagne MP
Canada
James Bezan MP
Hon Irwin Cotler
Senator Pierre Dalphond
Raquel Dancho MP
Kerry-Lynne Findlay MP
Garnett Genuis MP*
Senator Leo Housakos
Matt Jeneroux MP
Paul Manly MP
John McKay MP
Marty Morantz MP
Senator Jim Munson
Senator Thanh Hai Ngo
Senator Marilou McPhedran
Senator Heather McPherson*
Czechia
Senator Pavel Fischer
Helena Langšádlová MP
Jan Lipavský MP
Denmark
Uffe Elbæk MP
European Parliament
François-Xavier Bellamy MEP
Mara Bizzotto MEP
Reinhard Bütikofer MEP*
Engin Eroglu MEP
Anna Fotyga MEP
Sandro Gozi MEP
Michael Gahler MEP*
Miriam Lexmann MEP*
Antonio Tajani MEP
Hilde Vautmans MEP
France
Frédérique Dumas MP
Senator André Gattolin
Constance Le Grip MP
Senator André Vallini
Germany
Margarete Bause MdB
Michael Brand MdB*
Gyde Jensen MdB
Ireland
Senator Malcolm Byrne
Senator Michael McDowell
Senator David Norris
Senator Barry Ward
Italy
Senator Alessandro Alfieri
Matteo Luigi Bianchi MP
Enrico Borghi MP
Paolo Formentini MP
Andrea Delmastro Delle Vedove MP
Alessandro Giglio Vigna MP
Senator Lucio Malan
Lia Quartapelle MP
Senator Roberto Rampi
Senator Isabella Rauti
Senator Adolfo Urso
Japan
Rep. Ryu Hirofumi
Rep. Mito Kakizawa
Rep. Hidehiro Mitani
Rep. Takashi Nagao
Rep. Akihisa Nagashima
Rep. Gen Nakatani
Rep. Kensuke Onishi
Rep. Shu Sakurai
Rep. Shiori Yamao
Lithuania
Laurynas Kasčiūnas MP
Dovilė Šakalienė MP*
New Zealand
Simon O’Connor MP
Louisa Wall MP
Norway
Michael Tetzschner MP
Sweden
David Josefsson MP
Elisabet Lann
Fredrik Malm MP
Switzerland
Lisa Mazzone MP
Franziska Ryser MP
Nicolas Walder MP
United Kingdom
Imran Ahmad Khan MP
Lord (David) Alton*
Baroness (Natalie) Bennett
Chris Bryant MP
Alistair Carmichael MP
Sarah Champion MP
Rosie Cooper MP
Judith Cummins MP
Janet Daby MP
Geraint Davies MP
David Davis MP
Sir Iain Duncan-Smith MP*
Baroness (Frances) D’Souza
Nusrat Ghani MP*
Damian Green MP
Wera Hobhouse MP
Lord (Phillip) Hunt
Christine Jardine MP
Baroness (Jenny) Jones
Baroness (Helena) Kennedy*
Tim Loughton MP*
Shabana Mahmood MP
Craig Mackinlay MP
Siobhain McDonagh MP
Stuart McDonald MP
Baroness (Catherine) Meyer
Layla Moran MP
Ian Paisley MP
Lord (Matt) Ridley
Andrew Rosindell MP
Bob Seely MP
Andrew Selous MP
Lord (Kevin) Shinkwin
Baroness (Frances) D’Souza
Stephen Timms MP
United States
Rep. Joaquin Castro
Rep. Mike Gallagher
Senator Bob Menendez
Senator Jeff Merkley
Senator Marco Rubio*
IPAC Advisors and Secretariat
Luke de Pulford (IPAC Coordinator)
Anne-Marie Brady (University of Canterbury)
Donald Clarke (George Washington University)
Andreas Fulda (University of Nottingham)
Akira Igata (Center for Rule-making Strategy)
Dimon Liu
Rahima Mahmut (World Uyghur Congress)
Peter Mattis
Eva Pils (King’s College London)
Mareike Ohlberg* (German Marshall Fund)
Robert L. Suettinger
Benedict Rogers (Hong Kong Watch)
Joey Siu (Hong Kong Watch)
Bhuchung Tsering (International Campaign for Tibet)
Vicky Xu
Adrian Zenz* (Victims of Communism Memorial Foundation)
Allies
Dean Baxendale (China Democracy Foundation)
Bill Browder
Dolkun Isa (World Uyghur Congress)
*These individuals have been targeted by travel bans or sanctions by the Chinese government, either individually or through institutional affiliation.
