HK leader protests over German asylum for dissidents

Published May 24, 2019

Hong Kong's leader has summoned the German consul to complain over Germany granting political asylum to a pair of Hong Kong political activists.

Carrie Lam on Friday called the pair bail jumpers who were facing charges including rioting and assaulting police over a violent incident in Feb. 2016.

An official statement said Lam told David Schmidt that Hong Kong courts would have granted the two a fair trial and Germany had "unjustifiably undermined Hong Kong's international reputation in the rule of law and judicial independence." Lam expressed "deep regret and strong objection."

Germany's Foreign Ministry said it was "increasingly concerned about the diminishing space for the political opposition" in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

Hong Kong plans to pass legal changes making it easier to extradite suspects for trial in China.

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