Thousands Rally in Hong Kong to Urge US to Pass 'Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act'

Storyful
4 年前

Thousands of people, and several with American flags, rallied in Hong Kong on October 14, to urge the United States to pass the “Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act 2019.”

According to The Straits Times, the act “proposes economic sanctions and penalties on Chinese and Hong Kong officials found to have suppressed democracy in the city.”

The bill seeks to “reaffirm the principles and objectives set forth in the United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992,” and make amendments, according to the US Congress.

This includes an assessment as to “whether China has eroded Hong Kong’s civil liberties and rule of law as protected by Hong Kong’s Basic Law,” whether or not the US should withdraw from the US-Hong Kong extradition treaty, and provisions for “otherwise qualified Hong Kong residents” to obtain work or student visas even if they had been arrested for being a part of “certain nonviolent protests supporting human rights or the rule of law.”

Monday’s rally was held in front of Hong Kong’s Court of Final Appeal and overflowed into the surrounding streets and nearby Chater Garden. The event was the first officially approved protest since the anti-mask law was put in place, according to reports. Credit: SocREC via Storyful