European Parliament calls for sanctions on officials linked to Hong Kong human-rights abuses
The European Parliament adopted a resolution urging sanctions against Hong Kong and Chinese officials responsible for recent human-rights violations, including the sentencing of three activists.
In a vote at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, 459 members supported a resolution demanding sanctions on Hong Kong and Chinese officials implicated in human-rights violations. The move comes after three pro-democracy figures—Lee Cheuk-yan, Chow Hang-tung and Albert Ho—were sentenced to between five and seven years in prison for alleged subversion, a trial criticized by the United Nations and rights groups. The resolution calls for the immediate release of these prisoners and condemns the 20-year sentence imposed on media tycoon Jimmy Lai. It also urges the EU to pursue the suspension of Hong Kong’s status within the World Trade Organization and to press Beijing to repeal the 2020 national-security law, restoring free expression, press independence, judicial autonomy and the rule of law.
Why it matters
The resolution highlights growing EU pressure on China over Hong Kong's shrinking freedoms and could affect trade and diplomatic relations.
In this story
Related stories
2 in this thread