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September 28, 2015

Amnesty International calls for activists' release

  • Protesters demanding the central government release dissidents who have supported the movement on the mainland. Photo: Reuters
    Protesters demanding the central government release dissidents who have supported the movement on the mainland. Photo: Reuters
Amnesty International has called for the release of eight mainland activists who face long prison sentences for posting messages and pictures supporting Hong Kong's 2014 pro-democracy protests. 

Six of the activists arrested after holding up banners with messages such as "Support Hong Kong's fight for freedom", face up to 15 years in prison. They have been charged with "inciting subversion of state power", "picking quarrels and provoking trouble" and "gathering a crowd to disrupt order in a public place". 

Human Rights Watch also issued a statement last week demanding the Hong Kong government drop charges against Hong Kong activists, investigate its handling of the city's pro-democracy protests and restart the electoral reform process. 

According to the Amnesty report, Chinese activist Sun Feng, who tried to travel to Beijing with his own proposal for Hong Kong electoral reform, and five others - Su Changlan, Chen Qitang, Wang Mo, Xie Wenfei and Zhang Shengyu - face up to 15 years in prison. 

Activist Ji Sizun faces up to 10 years in prison and Ye Xiaozheng faces up to five. Su said she was denied adequate medical treatment and Zhang said he was beaten and chained to a bed for 15 days, according to the report which cited the activists' lawyers.

http://news.rthk.hk/rthk/en/component/k2/1214014-20150928.htm