Two juvenile members of the group will be deported to Hong Kong in the coming hours and handed over to local police
A Shenzhen city court in southern China sentenced fugitive offenders from Hong Kong to prison on Wednesday, accused of illegally crossing the maritime border while trying to reach Taiwan by boat. Eight participants in the escape received seven months’ imprisonment each, while the two organisers received two and three years’ imprisonment each, according to a ruling published on the court’s website.
Two more underage members of the group will be deported to Hong Kong in the coming hours and handed over to local police.
On 23 August, a group of 12 young residents of this special administrative region of China, wanted or under investigation for last year’s riots, were arrested by the Chinese coast guard on board a ship while trying to flee to Taiwan. The incident took place in Chinese territorial waters off the coast of Guangdong province. The detainees were taken to Shenzhen. Hong Kong authorities have not raised the issue of their extradition.
On 16 December, prosecutors filed charges against eight members of the group for illegally crossing the maritime border and two others for organising the process.
The US side, in particular Secretary of State Michael Pompeo, has repeatedly expressed concern about the situation of the “12 Hong Kong pro-democracy activists” detained in southern China and demanded their release. However, the Hong Kong authorities have stressed that they are not, but are fugitive offenders who are wanted or under investigation. Among those detained was Andy Lee, 29, accused of violating the National Security Act.