etra K. Kelly
Mitglied des Deutschen Bundestages Dle Grünen
Gert Bastian
Generale für Frieden und Abrüstung
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Rt. Hon. Margaret Prime Minister
House of Commons London
SW1A OAA
Dear Prime Minister,
Her MP
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FIA
TRIAL OF UNITED DEMOCRATS IN HONG KONG
5300 Bonn 1
Bundeshaus
Tel. (0228) 169206/167918 Telex: 886529
Die Wahl dieser Rufnummer vermittelt den gewünschten Hausanschluß.
Kommt ein Anschluß nicht zustande, bitte Nr. 161 (Bundeshaus-Vermittlung) anrufen,
23 July 1990
R2.:
FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH
0 1 AUG 1990
HKD ALLOCATIONS SECTION
We are writing to you because we are seriously concerned about the prosecution, under the Summary Offences Ordinance, 1900, of five prominent members of the United Democratic Party in Hong Kong.
The charges arise out of a lawful protest in which all five were involved in February. They did not, however, receive their summonses until May.
The Ordinance under which they are being prosecuted dates from 1900. We understand that Her Majesty's Government has itself recognised that this Ordinance violates the recently published Hong Kong Bill of Rights and has also submitted to the Human Rights Committee of the United Nations that the Ordinance would only be enforced in special circumstances.
Moreover, the previous use of loudhailers during peaceful pro- tests has gone unpunished; and tourist guides and teachers are not prosecuted for their frequent use of them.
We are gravely concerned that five senior political figures are being charged under this antiquated Ordinance - particularly at a time when the people of Hong Kong require firm assurances that the Government is committed to human rights and is pre- pared to withstand pressure from China to restrict these.
Yours faithfully,
Libyl
Bursart.
Gert Bastian
Petra K. Kelly, MdB
(Generals for Peace and Disarmament)
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