London is planning to make legislative changes allowing Hongkongers to be extradited on a “case-by-case basis,” a UK politician has said, voicing concerns that activists overseas could be sent back to Hong Kong.
UK Shadow National Security and Safeguarding Minister Alicia Kearns revealed the plan on Thursday, sharing a letter from Security Minister Dan Jarvis to Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp on the changes to the Extradition Act 2003.
Jarvis said an agreement allowing extradition was needed, as doing so was impossible under the current arrangement “even if there were strong operational grounds to do so.” The proposed changes to the UK’s Extradition Act 2003, which were introduced in the House of Commons on July 17, would allow cooperation on a “case-by-case ad hoc basis.”
The extradition arrangement between Hong Kong and the UK was suspended following the enactment of Beijing’s national security law in 2020 in the city, which the UK considered “incompatible” with its 1997 Hong Kong Extradition Treaty.
The security legislation was inserted directly into the city’s constitution following months-long protests in 2019 against a since-axed extradition bill. The unrest escalated into sometimes violent displays of dissent against police behaviour, amid calls for democracy and anger over Beijing’s encroachment.
‘Morally indefensible’
Kearns also said on X that reinstating extradition with Hong Kong “is morally indefensible” and questioned why the government deemed the plan reasonable, “when freedom of expression, political freedom and the rule of law in Hong Kong have been crushed by The National Security Law.”
“I urge the Government to give urgent reassurances on how this system will be safely managed and what protections will be put in place to ensure no Hong Konger, CCP critic or anyone targeted by the CCP will be extradited under the new arrangement,” she said.
She also attached to her post a letter to Jarvis, dated Wednesday. In the letter, she mentioned wanted activist Anna Kwok, whose father was arrested and charged on “tenuous and politically motivated grounds,” and jailed media tycoon Jimmy Lai, who “continues to be arbitrarily detained and denied basic rights.”
Kearns also asked what reassurances the security minister could offer Hongkongers who had moved to the UK.
“As Security Minister you will be aware of the transnational repression faced by Hong Kong democracy activists living in the UK, including the recent campaign of bounties and offers of reward for their delivery to the Chinese Embassy,” she wrote.
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“You will also be aware many Hongkongers arrested for protest were given false ‘violent’ convictions as a method of oppressing dissent, following the imposition of the national security law.”
In response to Kearns’ post on X, Jarvis said: “This is entirely incorrect. The treaty remains suspended. The new law completes the severing of extradition ties. We are resolute in our commitment to human rights, the rule of law, and safety of all in the UK. That goes for all Hong Kongers who have made our country their home.”
UK-based pro-democracy advocacy group Hong Kong Watch condemned the extradition plan on Thursday, saying that the proposal was a “reckless move which will endanger many pro-democracy activists now living in the UK.”
“While framed as a downgrade on Hong Kong’s current designation under UK extradition law, the move opens up the possibility of opaque, extradition cooperation outside the protections of a formal treaty-based system,” said Senior Research and Policy Advisor Thomas Benson.
Kearns’ remarks come as Hong Kong’s national security police on Thursday issued a new round of arrest warrants and HK$200,000 bounties for 15 overseas Hongkongers, citing their roles in a political group deemed subversive by the authorities.
The Hong Kong government had previously issued arrest warrants and bounties of HK$1 million on 19 people overseas, including self-exiled activists.
