US urges release of Hong Kong speedboat fugitives as China trial set to begin france24.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from france24.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
China Trial Of Hong Kong 12 Begins As US Decries Tyranny By Beiyi Seow, with Su Xinqi in Hong Kong
12/28/20 AT 9:36 AM
A group of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists who tried to escape the city by speedboat for sanctuary in Taiwan went on trial in China on Monday as the United States urged the immediate release of dissidents it says fled tyranny .
Ten of the so-called Hong Kong 12 were in court in the southern city of Shenzhen to face charges linked to an illegal border crossing.
Chinese authorities took them into custody after their boat was intercepted on August 23.
The hearing began as scheduled on Monday afternoon and a convoy of vehicles were seen departing around four hours later. The Yantian District People s Court said sentencing will be at a later date.
Trials Begin for 10 Charged in Hong Kong Flight Case newsmax.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from newsmax.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
»China Trial of Hong Kong 12 Begins, US Decries Tyranny and Urges Immediate Release of Activists
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China Trial of Hong Kong 12 Begins, US Decries Tyranny and Urges Immediate Release of Activists
Pro-democracy supporters protest to urge for the release of 12 Hong Kong activists arrested as they reportedly sailed to Taiwan for political asylum and citizen journalist Zhang Zhan outside China s Liaison Office, in Hong Kong, China December 28, 2020. (REUTERS/Tyrone Siu)
Ten of the so-called Hong Kong 12 were in court in the southern city of Shenzhen facing charges linked to an illegal border crossing.
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28 December 2020, 08:04 UTC
Ahead of the trial of a group of Hong Kong residents detained in mainland China since attempting to leave Hong Kong by speedboat in August, Amnesty International Hong Kong’s Programme Manager Lam Cho Ming said:
“We fear that the chance of these young Hongkongers getting a fair trial in China is remote given they have so far been deprived of their basic rights, including the right to defend themselves through legal representation of their own choosing.
“Their families have repeatedly been denied direct access to them, and several mainland lawyers who have attempted to represent them at the families’ request have been threatened by the Chinese authorities to force them to drop the case.