Condemning the Hong Kong Government's Violent Crackdown and Demanding the Immediate Withdrawal of the Fugitive Offenders Bill

The Hong Kong government's announcement today (12) to reschedule legislative proceedings is merely a repetition of the delaying tactics used during the 2014 Umbrella Movement, intended to gradually wear down the resolve and passion of the people of Hong Kong. Since 2003, the Hong Kong government has continuously attempted to enact legislation related to China's national security laws. At that time, it was Article 23 of the Basic Law, which sparked the "Anti-Article 23 Legislation" movement that mobilized 500,000 people to take to the streets—just six years after Hong Kong's handover.

To this day, following the Chinese government's appointment mechanism for the Chief Executive, the Hong Kong authorities have long since become one of the proxies of the Chinese government. Consequently, backed by Beijing, the Hong Kong government treats public opinion as nothing and actively complies with Beijing's will. The so-called "One Country, Two Systems" has now become a sugar-coated poison. Earlier this year, Xi Jinping even made it clear that between China and Hong Kong there is only "One Country." Furthermore, China's "rule of law" has always operated through a distorted "Chinese model" that completely fails to meet international standards, clearly demonstrating Xi Jinping's intention to adopt a hardline stance toward Hong Kong.

Today, the Hong Kong police launched a fully armored assault on protesters, using water cannons, pepper spray, batons, tear gas, and even shotguns loaded with bean bag rounds and rubber bullets against demonstrators whose only defense was umbrellas. The police characterized this as intentional rioting and clashes merely because some protesters wore protective gear such as helmets and gloves, which is a blatant disregard for the facts and turns right and wrong upside down.

Here, we strongly condemn the Hong Kong police. Please uphold your duties as police officers and strictly manage public order in accordance with the law, including the Police General Orders, rather than launching unjustified attacks on unarmed citizens. We also urge individual police officers, as human beings, to uphold the moral baseline of humanity. Beating unarmed protesters and reporters with wooden clubs is an action that cannot be accepted under the moral standards of any country.

As a region that has ratified the Convention against Torture and incorporated the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights into the Basic Law, the Hong Kong government must respect the people's right to freedom of assembly and procession, and prohibit the Hong Kong police from using force against the public. More specifically, Article 13 of the chapter on "Law Enforcement Authority in Unlawful Assemblies" in the Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials, adopted by the United Nations in 1990, explicitly stipulates: "In the dispersal of assemblies that are unlawful but non-violent, law enforcement officials shall avoid the use of force or, where that is not practicable, shall restrict such force to the minimum extent necessary." Looking at the actions of the Hong Kong police today, facing unarmed Hong Kong citizens, they unleashed every type of cold weapon and even used lethal firearms like shotguns to shoot protesters in the head, completely violating the standards clearly mandated by this principle!

We hereby call on the Hong Kong government to restrain your actions, and once again demand that the government immediately withdraw the legislative amendment process for the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance, halt acts of violence against protesters, listen to the citizens, the legal community, and voices around the world, and prioritize Hong Kong in all administrative measures.

Initiating Organization

Concern Group on the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance by Hong Kong Students and Graduates in Taiwan

Co-signing Student Organizations

National Taiwan University Student Association, National Taiwan University Student Parliament, National Taiwan University Graduate Student Association, National Cheng Kung University Student Association, National Chengchi University Student Parliament, National Taiwan Normal University Student Association, National Taiwan Ocean University Student Association, National Taichung University of Education Student Association, National Dong Hwa University Student Association, Fu Jen Catholic University Student Association, Kaohsiung Medical University Student Association, Aletheia University Student Association, National Taitung Junior College Student Association, National Yunlin University of Science and Technology Student Association, National Taitung University Student Association, Tunghai University Student Association, National Chung Hsing University Student Association, University of Taipei Student Association, Chung Shan Medical University Student Association, Tamkang University Student Association, Soochow University Student Parliament, National Pingtung University Student Parliament, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology Student Association, National Sun Yat-sen University Student Association, Nanhua University Student Association, China Medical University Student Association, National Quemoy University Student Association, National Quemoy University Student Parliament, Taipei Medical University Student Association, National Taipei University Student Parliament, Chang Gung University Student Association, Kaohsiung Medical University Sparks Society, National Taiwan University Cho-Shui-Chi Society, Dong Hwa Wu-Tou-Weng Society, Dong Hwa Wu-Yong Society, Soochow Vaulting Horse Society, Soochow Intolerable Society, NTU Consciousness, NTU Taiwanese Language Society, National Taiwan University Women's Research Society, Taipei University Parliament Reform Alliance, Taipei University Over-the-Wall Society, NCCU Wildfire Front, Soochow Vaulting Horse Society, NTU Cho-Shui-Chi Society, Sun Yat-sen University Unleashed Dogs Society, NTU Law Student Association, NTU College of Social Sciences Student Association, NTU College of Liberal Arts Student Association, Providence University Roots Searching Society, Thought Publication, NCCU Voice, Taipei University Treasure Hunting Society, National Chi Nan University Deeds Society, National Central University Green Convergence Society, National Central University Machao Care Society, National Central University True-Good-Beauty Society, National Chung Cheng University Public Affairs Study Club, Taiwan Academic Issues Forum, Soochow University Department of Political Science Student Association, NTU Department of Philosophy Student Association, NTU Department of History Student Association, NTU Department of Sociology Student Association, Chaoyang University of Technology Department of Communication Arts Student Association, National Association of Secondary School Students' Rights, Taipei Municipal Chien Kuo High School Class Representatives Joint Meeting, Taipei Municipal Chien Kuo High School Comics Club, Providence University Identity and Diversity Dream Society, Taichung Municipal Taichung Home Economics and Commercial High School Student Self-Government Association, National Chung Cheng University Department of Law Student Association, National Central University Student Association, National Ilan University Student Association, City University of Taipei Comics Research Club, Wuling High School Debating Society, Shoushan High School Debating Society, Shih Hsin University Hsin-Jen Press, Taipei Medical University Dialectics Society, National Chengchi University Graduate Student Association, Chupei High School Speech Society, National Taiwan Normal University Torrents Society, Chupei High School Speech Society, Neili High School Debating Society, NCKU 02 Society, National Taiwan Normal University Department of Civic Education and Leadership Student Association, Social Science Practice Seed Forum, National Chung Cheng University Student Association, Tunghai University Debating Society, National Tsing Hua University Thought and Word Society, Fu Jen University Student Self-Help Association for Boycott, Chinese Culture University Student Self-Government Reform Front, Soochow University Department of Philosophy Student Association, NTU Department of Political Science Student Association, National Taiwan University of Science and Technology Student Association, Shih Hsin University "Cave Entrance Royal Magic Store", National Taipei University of Education Debating Society, National Tsing Hua University Department of Environment and Cultural Resources Class of 2020, National Tsing Hua University Department of Environment and Cultural Resources Class of 2019, Shih Hsin Rainbow Action Group, National Tsing Hua University Department of Environment and Cultural Resources Class of 2021, Shih Hsin University Hosting and Broadcasting Club, National Taiwan University of Arts Department of Sculpture Student Association, National Taipei University Department of History Student Association, Hsinchu High School Debating Society, Ming Chuan University (Taoyuan Campus) Student Parliament, Lighthouse, Fudan High School Debating Society, Taipei Municipal Chung Cheng High School Speech and Debate Club

Co-signing Organizations

Taiwan Association for Human Rights, Yung-Suan Foundation, Green Citizens' Action Alliance, Presbyterian Church in Taiwan, Economic Democracy Union, Association for Penal Reform, Citizen Bee, Students for a Free Tibet Taiwan, Association of Taiwanese Professors, Academia Sinica for Human Rights, Taipei Wenshan Community College, Haomin Culture Association, Taiwan Association for Labour Rights, Judicial Reform Foundation, Taiwan United Nations Alliance, Cheng Nan-jung Foundation, Chen Wen-chen Memorial Foundation, Tibet-Taiwan Human Rights Network, Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty, Taiwan Constitution Foundation, Taiwan Non-Profit Organization Industry Union, Association for Democratic Reform, Congressional Observer, Taiwan Youth Association for Democracy, Central Taiwan Symbiosis Youth Alliance, Association for Taiwan Truth and Reconciliation, Independent Youth Front, Taiwan Symbiosis Youth Association, Taiwan Association for Child and Family Education, OBA Taiwan, Taiwan Indigenous Peoples Policy Association, Covenants Watch, Taiwan Tongzhi (LGBTQ+) Hotline Association, Tibetan Youth Congress Taiwan Chapter, Taiwan Citizen Stem Cell, Alliance for Referendum to Protect Taiwan, Free Taiwan Party, Formosa Youth Parliament Preparatory Office, North-Bird: Singing Revolution, Frontline Island Nation, Green Democratic Front, Taiwan Innocent Prisoners Action League, Independent Media - Grassroots Youth Voice Network, Taiwan Support Network for Chinese Human Rights Lawyers, Anti-Eviction Alliance, Taipei Bar Association Human Rights Committee, Taiwan International Medical Alliance, Green Citizens' Action Alliance, Tsai Jui-yueh Dance Research Foundation, Taiwan Gender Equity Education Association, Gender Equity Education Big Platform, Taiwan Free Election Observation Association, Lee Ming-che Rescue Team, Reporters Without Borders, Anti-Extradition Law Amendment & Support Hong Kong - Cilin Alumni Action Group, The Mits Philosophy Society, Art Action for Freedom (AAfF), Nanyang Taiwan Sisterhood, Awakening Foundation, Migrant Empowerment Network Taiwan, Green Party, Green Party Taipei-New Taipei-Keelung Chapter, Statebuilding Party