US Secretary of State condemns arrest of Hong Kong pro-democracy activists
US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has condemned the arrest of a group of pro-democracy protesters by authorities in Hong Kong, calling the action a "blatant abuse of police power for political purposes."
In a statement posted on the US State Department website on Monday, Mr. Pompeo said that the “harassment and intimidation” of pro-democracy representatives and the silencing of dissent were “clear examples of the Hong Kong government’s ongoing collusion with the Chinese Communist Party,” which he said “seeks to dismantle Hong Kong’s promised autonomy.”
The US Secretary of State called on Beijing and Hong Kong to respect the right of the people of Hong Kong to express their grievances.
Seven people, including several current and former Hong Kong lawmakers, were arrested on Sunday.
Hong Kong police confirmed that the arrests were made in connection with a brawl that broke out in the city's legislature earlier this year between pro-democracy lawmakers and pro-Beijing supporters.
A Hong Kong police statement said six men and one woman had been arrested on suspicion of obstruction and interference in the work of members of the legislature.
The same day, activists called the arrests “absurd” and “completely unacceptable” at another news conference. They said the Hong Kong government was “fabricating fabricated excuses and using baseless accusations to silence dissent.”
The New York Times reported in a separate report that another pro-democracy lawmaker has been arrested in Hong Kong, bringing the total number of people arrested to eight.
Source: Voice of America
