US condemns sentencing Hong Kong pro-democracy activists


FE Team | Published: April 17, 2021 16:17:31 | Updated: April 17, 2021 19:13:32


Media mogul Jimmy Lai, founder of Apple Daily, leaves the Court of Final Appeal by prison van in Hong Kong in February  this year -Reuters file photo

The United States on Friday condemned the sentencing of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai and other pro-democracy activists on what it called "politically motivated charges."

"Beijing and Hong Kong authorities are targeting Hong Kongers for doing nothing more than exercising protected rights and fundamental freedoms, including freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of speech," US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement, reports Reuters.

"Today’s sentences are yet another example of how (China) and Hong Kong authorities undermine protected rights and fundamental freedoms guaranteed by the Basic Law and the Sino-British Joint Declaration in an effort to eliminate all forms of dissent," he added.

 

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