WORLD_ ‘Step up for us’: Australian government urged to condemn Hong Kong’s controversial extradition bill

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‘Step up for us’: Australian government urged to condemn Hong Kong’s controversial extradition bill

As over a million people took to the streets of Hong Kong in protest, our own government was in the firing line over its silence.

Gavin Fernando @gavindfernando
news.com.au
June 10, 2019 5:52pm



Over a million people took to the streets over a controversial bill to extradite the territory’s residents to China, marking the territory’s largest protest since Hong Kong’s handover to China in 1997. But where is Australia in all this?Source:Getty Images


You’ve no doubt heard about the mass protests in Hong Kong yesterday.

Over a million people took to the streets over a controversial bill to allow extradition from the territory to mainland China, marking its largest protest since Hong Kong’s handover to China in 1997.

But you may have missed the smaller protests over the issue cropping up across Australia at the same time.

RELATED: Controversial law could change Hong Kong forever

Yesterday supporters of Hong Kong in Sydney, Canberra, Melbourne and Brisbane took to the streets to oppose the controversial extradition bill.

But what makes it relevant here? And what exactly are they hoping to achieve?


HOW HONG KONG LAW AFFECTS AUSTRALIANS


There are currently around 100,000 Australians residing in Hong Kong.

Hundreds of thousands of us go to Hong Kong as tourists and in transit — any of whom could be subject to punishment by the Chinese government if this law passes.

“As an Australian, you might not have committed a crime in Chinese territory, and you might think this does not affect you. Well, unfortunately, this is not true,” said Zion Lo, from the Australia-Hong Kong Link, a community organisation based in Melbourne that helped promote the local rallies.

“If China believes that you are a foreign threat, and if you are travelling through HK, you might be extradited to China, imprisoned and arbitrarily punished.

“All it takes is if there’s a report against you, and you would bear the full responsibility to prove your innocence without access to a lawyer.”

In other words, it’s not just Hong Kong citizens or foreigners temporarily working there who are at risk. If you or anyone you know gets on a plane there, you’re at risk too.



Over a million people in Hong Kong took to the streets to protest the bill.Source:Getty Images




Across major Australian cities, protests were held in solidarity. Source: Facebook/Australia-Hong Kong LinkSource:Facebook



#latestnews Australia's #hongkong community rallies against China's #extradition laws. Thousands of people turn up in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth.
pic.twitter.com/0hmiiz509r

— Maree Ma (@maree_jun) June 9, 2019



International human rights lawyer Simon Henderson told news.com.au that any Australian who travels or transits through the city will be “directly impacted” upon setting foot on Hong Kong soil.

“The reason this is so significant for any individual is because they will be subject to an unfair trial; arbitrary detention; potention torture and a legal system that doesn’t protect human rights,” he said.

Last December, two Canadians were detained and formally arrested by the Chinese government for spying.

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READ MORE: https://www.news.com.au/world/asia/step-up-for-us-australian-government-urged-to-condemn-hong-kongs-controversial-extradition-bill/news-story/b9f18f2d13a2ebb84ea3e075d78246ea


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