Religious Groups Call for Amnesty for Hongkongers Charged Under National Security Law

The catholic priest Franco Mella (R) talks to the media before delivering a letter addressed to Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, calling on authorities to drop charges against media mogul Jimmy Lai and other political activists jailed or in custody under the national security law, outside the government headquarters in Hong Kong, on Jan. 31, 2022. James Pomfret/Reuters

HONG KONG—A coalition of Christians and Catholics on Monday called on Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam to drop charges against media tycoon Jimmy Lai and other political activists jailed or in custody under a Chinese-regime-imposed national security law.

The petition by more than a dozen Christian and Catholic groups and leaders was handed to a government representative outside Hong Kong’s government headquarters.

“She could be active in asking Beijing [for an amnesty],” said Catholic priest Franco Mella, referring to Hong Kong’s leader Carrie Lam, who is a Catholic.

“Let’s hope she gives an answer to the voice of her conscience as a Catholic,” Mella said, flanked by Reverend Chi Wood Fung, a Hong Kong Anglican priest and former lawmaker. “I hope more voices can be heard about the possibility of an amnesty for them.”

Lam’s office did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Among the signatories was Reverend Alan Smith of St. Albans in the UK and the former Archbishop of Armagh in Ireland, Lord Eames. Mella said he hoped the Pope would “join his voice” in speaking out on rights issues in Hong Kong.

The Chinese communist regime imposed a sweeping national security law in June 2020 outlawing subversion, collusion with foreign forces, terrorism, and secession with possible life imprisonment. More than 160 people have been arrested under the legislation.

Some Western governments and rights groups say authorities are using the law to silence dissent and curb freedoms.

Among the most prominent national security law defendants are 47 pro-democracy activists and former lawmakers arrested in a mass raid in early 2021, as well as former media tycoon and Chinese regime critic Lai.

Media mogul Jimmy Lai, founder of Apple Daily, arrives at the Court of Final Appeal, for hearing an appeal by the Department of Justice against the bail decision of Lai, in Hong Kong, on Dec. 31, 2020. Tyrone Siu/Reuters

Although some of Hong Kong’s government and commercial elites are Catholic and pro-Beijing, including Lam, other Catholics have long been active in the pro-democracy movements including Lai and former law professor Benny Tai.

Some observers see Hong Kong’s broad religious freedoms and traditions, like the rule of law, as one of the remaining strongholds of the “one country, two systems” model under which Britain handed its former colony back to Chinese rule in 1997.

The Basic Law, the mini-constitution that governs “one country, two systems,” explicitly provides for freedom of conscience and broad religious freedom.