We are deeply concerned by the verdicts handed down today for some members of the NSL47, including a guilty verdict for Australian citizen Mr Gordon Ng.
The Australian Government raises consular and human rights concerns directly with the Hong Kong and Chinese governments regularly and at the highest levels. We will continue to do so, including in the case of Mr Ng.
We also continue to request consular access to Mr Ng from Hong Kong authorities. Noting Mr Ng has avenues of appeal available to him, I will not comment further on his case.
Australia has expressed our strong objections to the Hong Kong authorities on the continuing broad application of national security legislation to arrest and pressure pro-democracy figures, opposition groups, media, trade unions and civil society. We know that the application of these laws also has implications for individuals outside of Hong Kong, including in Australia.
The systemic erosion of Hong Kong’s rights, freedoms, autonomy and democratic processes has been consistently raised with China and Hong Kong. We have called on Hong Kong authorities to uphold those elements which have been so crucial to Hong Kong’s success, including its high degree of autonomy and the rights and freedoms guaranteed by the Basic Law and Sino-British Joint Declaration.
During China’s Universal Periodic Review in January, we recommended China to cease suppression of freedoms of expression, assembly, media and civil society, consistent with Human Rights Committee and Special Procedure recommendations, including the repeal of the National Security Law in Hong Kong.
