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進入《TAIPEI TIMES》 NPP condemns Chinese interference in HK judiciary
From left, New Power Party （NPP） Legislator Hsu Yung-ming, Hong Kong activist Alex Chow, NPP Legislator Kawlo Iyun Pacidal, Hong Kong lawmakers Eddie Chu and Raymond Chan, NPP Executive Chairman Huang Kuo-chang, Legislative Yuan Secretary-General Lin Chi-chia, Hong Kong Legislator Nathan Law and Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong attend a news conference at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei on June 12 to announce the formation of the Taiwan Congressional Hong Kong Caucus. Photo: Huang Yao-hui, Taipei Times
By Jonathan Chin / Staff writer, with CNA
The New Power Party （NPP） yesterday issued a statement condemning Beijing for interfering with Hong Kong’s judicial system and hounding pro-democracy campaigners, after Joshua Wong （黃之鋒） and two other student leaders of 2014’s “Umbrella movement” were sentenced to prison.
Wong was sentenced to six months in prison, Alex Chow （周永康） to seven months and Nathan Law （羅冠聰） to eight months.
The Chinese Communist Party （CCP） and the government of Hong Kong have been undermining the territory’s Basic Law by abusing legal interpretations, a trend that began with their move last year to disqualify pro-democracy lawmakers from the Hong Kong Legislative Council, the NPP said.
The CCP has manipulated the Hong Kong judicial system to serve its own agenda and neutralize pro-democracy campaigners, threatening the last line of defense for the rule of law in the territory, it said.
“The NPP strongly condemns the actions and calls on the international community to countenance the situation regarding the rule of law in Hong Kong,” it said.
The CCP has brazenly violated international treaties and its pledge to not interfere with Hong Kong’s autonomy for 50 years to suppress pro-democracy movements and the people’s yearning for legitimate elections, the NPP said.
By giving prison sentences to pro-democracy campaigners, the court has stripped them of their right to political participation, it said.
The sentences are in violation of the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and Hong Kong’s legal guarantees for the freedom of assembly, it said.
“The last remnants of Hong Kong’s democracy and rule of law are under attack by China and they are in danger of being destroyed altogether,” the NPP said.
Mainland Affairs Council Deputy Minister Chiu Chui-cheng （邱垂正） told a routine news conference that the council regrets the ruling.
“It is the government’s unchanging position to support the people of Hong Kong in their pursuit of democracy, freedom, rule of law and human rights,” Chiu said.
“The council takes notice of the Hong Kong High Court’s ruling. We express our hope that the government of Hong Kong would respond to its people’s demands with positivity and tolerance, and conduct dialogue from a place of rationality, peace and patience to resolve their differences,” Chiu said.
新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES
