To: Secretary for Justice, Paul Lam Postzegel buitenland
5th floor, Main Wing, Justice Place
18 Lower Albert Road, Central
Hong Kong
Copy to: Embassy of the People's Republic of China, H. E. Ambassador Tan Jian
Willem Lodewijklaan 10
2517 JT Den Haag Postzegel Nederland
E-mail:
(Plaats, datum)
Dear Mr. Lam,
Owen Chow Ka-shing is a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist. He was an active participant in the 2014 Umbrella Movement and 2019 Anti-extradition protests. Owen Chow has to serve a total prison term of in total 12 year and 10 months.
On 16 March 2024, Owen Chow was sentenced to 61 months and 15 days in prison for “rioting” over his participation in the 2019 storming of the Legislative Council Complex, to which he had pleaded guilty. The lengthy prison term was handed down despite the judge noting that Chow had not engaged in any acts of assault or violence. On 30 May 2024, he was found guilty of subversion under the National Security Law for alleged subversion by organizing and participating in unofficial primary elections in July 2020. Taken together, the slate of charges against Chow are nothing more than an effort to punish his peaceful exercise of freedom of speech and assembly, which should be protected under the ICCPR and the Hong Kong Basic Law.
I therefor urge you to release Owen Chow and drop all charges against him, as he was charged solely for peacefully exercising his rights.
Yours sincerely,
(Naam, woonplaats)
Let op: de mogelijkheid bestaat dat de autoriteiten in Hongkong vinden dat je met het deelnemen aan deze actie 'de staatsveiligheid in gevaar brengt'. Vermeld daarom niet je (volledige) naam en woonplaats. Dit geldt zeker als je een Chinees of Hongkongs paspoort hebt.
