Washington expands its sanction list to include six new individuals over the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong and the recent arrest of more than 50 pro-democracy activists.
Last week, the U.S. Department of State issued a statement detailing the expanded list over the mass arrests which included thirteen former members of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council, an ex-law professor and an American lawyer.
«This action by Hong Kong authorities is yet another stark example of Hong Kong’s freedoms and democratic processes being fundamentally undermined by the PRC,» said U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo regarding the arrests.
Expanded List
The six individuals facing sanctions are as follows: You Quan, vice chairman of the Central Leading Group on Hong Kong and Macau Affairs; Sun Wenqing (or Sun Qingye), deputy director of the office for Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR; and Tam Yiu-Chung, Hong Kong delegate to the National People’s Congress Standing Committee; alongside Frederic Choi Chin-Pang, Kelvin Kong Hok Lai, and Andrew Kan Kai Yan, officials in the National Security Division of the Hong Kong Police.
The six newly sanctioned individuals join the original list of 11 who were also accused of undermining the city’s autonomy and eroding freedoms. Sanctioned individuals have expressed challenges accessing the financial system including Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam who previously said she had «piles of cash at home» due to restricted access to banking services.
«The United States calls on the [People’s Republic of China] and Hong Kong authorities to immediately release individuals who have been targeted under the [national security law] or other laws simply for exercising rights and freedoms guaranteed under the Basic Law and Joint Declaration, and to dismiss the charges against them,» Pompeo added.
