TNAG-2004-FCO40-2852-Hong-Kong-political-parties-1990 — Page 70

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TELELETTER NFR

OF 11213OZ JULY 90

AND TO TELELETTER HONG KONG

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COPIED TO:

SD PATTISON

MS R MARSDEN, HKD, FCO

S BRADLEY ESQ, DEPUTY POLITICAL ADVISER, HONG KONG

PRO-DEMOCRACY ACTIVISTS IN HONG KONG

1. A DELEGATION REPRESENTING THE ALLIANCE OF HONG KONG CHINESE

IN THE UNITED STATES CALLED AT THE EMBASSY TODAY TO HAND OVER TWO LETTERS (COPIES BY BAG). ONE WAS ADDRESSED TO SIR DAVID WILSON: THE OTHER TO J F MATTHEWS, THE HONG KONG ATTORNEY GENERAL. THE LETTERS EXPRESS CONCERN ABOUT THE INDICTMENT OF SIX

PRO-DEMOCRACY ACTIVITISTS IN HONG KONG, ON CHARGES OF USING MEGAPHONES, AND COLLECTING MONEY, WITHOUT THE NECESSARY PERMITS. THE LETTERS CLAIM THAT THE INDICTMENT AND TRIAL ARE POLITICALLY

MOTIVATED BECAUSE THE STATUTE ON MEGAPHONES IS ONE WHICH IS

RARELY ENFORCED DESPITE DAILY VIOLATIONS BY SCHOOL TEACHERS AND TOUR GUIDES, THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT HAS SINGLED OUT THE MOST PROMINENT ACTIVISTS, AND THE ALLEGED OFFENCES STEM FROM AN ORDERLY PROTEST ABOUT DEMOCRACY IN HONG KONG. THE LETTER CLAIMS

THAT THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT'S ACTION VIOLATES ARTICLE 16 OF THE PROPOSED HONG KONG BILL OF RIGHTS, AND ARTICLE 19 OF THE INTERNATIONAL COVENANT ON CIVIL AND POLITICAL RIGHTS. THE PROSECUTION DOES GRAVE DAMAGE TO THE CREDIBILITY OF THE JOINT

DECLARATION IN PROTECTING HONG KONG'S HUMAN RIGHTS AFTER 1997.

AN IMMEDIATE CONSEQUENCE WOULD BE AN ACCELERATION OF THE BRAIN DRAIN. THE LETTER TO THE ATTORNEY GENERAL ASKS THAT THE CHARGES

BE DROPPED.

2. I, AND A MEMBER OF THE HONG KONG TRADE OFFICE, RECEIVED THE LETTERS. WE UNDERTOOK TO PASS THEM ON, AND TO REVERT WITH ANY POINTS WHICH HMG OR THE HONG KONG GOVERNMENT WANTED TO MAKE. THERE WAS A SMALL DEMONSTRATION OUTSIDE THE EMBASSY.

3.

THE IMPENDING PROSECUTION HAS RECEIVED PUBLICITY HERE THROUGH

AN ARTICLE IN THE NEW YORK TIMES OF 10 JULY. THE ARTICLE WAS NOT SYMPATHETIC TO THE PROSECUTION, POINTING OUT THAT CHARGES WERE BROUGHT UNDER A STATUTE DATING FROM 1900, THAT MEGAPHONES WERE IN USE (EG BY TOUR GUIDES) ON THE STREETS OF HONG KONG, AND IMPLYING THAT BRITAIN WAS APPEASING PEKING.

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