The European Union on Tuesday accused Beijing of human rights violations against 10 political activists from Hong Kong, calling in the authorities to ensure a fair trial
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th December, 2020) The European Union on Tuesday accused Beijing of human rights violations against 10 political activists from Hong Kong, calling in the authorities to ensure a fair trial.
The 12 political activists from Hong Kong, also known as the "Shenzhen 12," were detained after trying to flee the country for Taiwan. Ten out of the 12 individuals went on trial in Shenzhen on Monday. The trial was not held in an open court and diplomatic representatives were unable to attend the court proceedings. The detainees were not allowed to choose their own lawyers, and access to relatives was restricted.
"The defendants' rights to a fair trial and due process - in accordance with international human rights law and as provided by China's Criminal Procedure Law - have not been respected. We call on China to guarantee procedural fairness and due process of law for these individuals," EU Spokesperson for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Peter Stano said, as quoted in a statement.
The spokesperson added that the European Union called for the immediate release of these 12 individuals and their swift return to Hong Kong.
The 12 members of the activist group helped organize anti-government protests in Hong Kong in 2019, some of which led to vandalism and injuries to police officers. The dozen was caught by China's Coast Guard back in August as they attempted to illegally cross the border and flee to Taiwan to avoid prosecution.
