Demonstrators marching in protest of the five missing booksellers' disappearance on Jan. 10, 2016. Photo: Adrian Lo
In its 18th annual report on Hong Kong which was published yesterday, the European Union slammed Beijing for over the missing booksellers case and inaction over electoral reform.
In an abridged version of the report, the EU said 2015 was a "politically challenging year" for the functioning of "one country, two systems", but expressed its support for the principle.
However, the Union said it considered themissing booksellers case to be the "most serious challenge" to Hong Kong's constitutional rights since the handover in 1997. According to the EU, the case involved "a serious violation of human rights and fundamental freedoms", and raises "grave concerns" about the rule of law within special administrative regions, as well as "mainland authorities’ application of PRC laws to acts carried out by Hong Kong residents on Hong Kong soil."
The Union urged for the constitutional arrangements bestowed upon Hong Kong through "one country, two systems" to be "fully respected". In its report, the EU concurred with British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond that Lee Bo had seemingly "been abducted", and said the case had "potentially lasting implications for Hong Kong's rule of law".
Furthermore, the statement addressed the stagnation of the electoral reform process in Hong Kong, and encouraged authorities from the local government and the central government to discuss resuming the reform process in order to reach an agreement on a suffrage system that is "democratic, fair, open and transparent."
"It is important to restore the trust of Hong Kong residents and the international community in the Basic Law and the 'one country, two systems' principle."
Other aspects of the principle were reported to have functioned well in 2015, although the report mentioned that a "negative trend" was observed in press and academic freedom, particularly in terms of institutional autonomy.
Read the full report here.
http://hongkong.coconuts.co/2016/04/26/eu-slams-beijing-over-missing-booksellers-and-inaction-over-electoral-reform-hong-kong
