Joint Press Conference in Response to the Situation in Hong Kong

Today (November 15), Borderless Youth Hong Kong, along with over a dozen civil society and student groups, held a joint press conference at 10 a.m. in front of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (Hong Kong) under the banner "Unite against the tyrannical regime, make our last stand." They outlined the situation of the protests in Hong Kong as they enter their fifth month—including the Emergency Regulations Ordinance, the arrest of multiple pro-democracy councilors on the eve of the district council elections, casualties caused by police brutality, the territory-wide indefinite general strike, and police sieges of higher education institutions—and called on the public to refocus attention on the political violence and humanitarian crisis inflicted upon the people of Hong Kong by the Hong Kong-Beijing government.

A spokesperson for Borderless Youth Hong Kong, student Kuan, stated that over the past few days, the people of Hong Kong have experienced a heartbreaking and infuriating week. Hong Kong citizens launched a triple strike—striking from classes, work, and business—as well as the "Dawn Action" to paralyze traffic in the early morning, all simply hoping the government would respond to our five demands. However, the government's response to the Hong Kong populace was an attempt to storm the Chinese University of Hong Kong, thereby inciting even fiercer resistance from the people. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam accused the citizens' triple strike of destroying Hong Kong and pushing the city down a path of no return.

Borderless Youth Hong Kong strongly condemns the violence of the Hong Kong police, demanding an immediate independent investigation and a thorough reorganization to completely overhaul the police force

Once again, the government has ignored the citizens' triple strike and the root causes of the protests against the administration. A special administrative region government that cannot listen to the voices of the people, only engages in fake dialogues, and undermines the rule of law in Hong Kong, has instead issued a statement claiming it will "stop violence and curb disorder." Yet, they never realize that they themselves are the source of the disorder. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong police force, willingly reduced to a political tool, has arrested over 3,000 citizens in the past five months and subjected them to various acts of violence and even sexual violence. This is "using violence to create disorder," not "stopping violence and curbing disorder."

Borderless Youth Hong Kong said it was outraged that more fellow protesters had been seriously wounded by gunfire or killed. "We once again strongly condemn a police force that disregards the law, and we demand an immediate independent investigation and a thorough overhaul of the force through restructuring. Only by responding to the five demands at once, introducing genuine universal suffrage and returning power to the people can calm be restored to Hong Kong."

Taiwan Association for Human Rights: Even the UN High Commissioner Has Condemned Hong Kong, Whose Executive, Legislature and Courts Have Stopped Protecting the People's Rights

Chiu E-ling, secretary-general of the Taiwan Association for Human Rights, noted that it is not only governments and international human rights organizations that have criticized the Hong Kong police's violent suppression of public assemblies; UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet has also issued a statement of condemnation. Hong Kong's executive, legislature and judiciary, she said, have all abandoned their role as defenders of the people's rights.

Unable to deal effectively with the protests that continue every day, the Hong Kong police have committed ever more abuses of power with no limits and no regard for proportionality, including firing live rounds and sexual assault. The courts, the last line of redress, have failed entirely, and with the government having invoked the Emergency Regulations Ordinance, Hong Kong's future looks increasingly precarious. Chiu said Taiwanese voters must see clearly which parties and politicians are still choosing to curry favor with the Chinese government, and which parties and candidates dare not oppose the surveillance and repression of human rights that China is carrying out. "Let us look at what has happened to Hong Kong as we think about where Taiwan is headed."

Lawyers' Team Urges Taiwan's Government to Approve Applications Quickly and Give Hong Kongers in Danger a Safe Place

Attorney Lin Chun-hung, spokesperson for the Taiwan Pro Bono Lawyers' Team in Support of Hong Kong Protesters, said the team was formed in response to the situation Hong Kong now faces. "We have seen the Hong Kong government's violations of human rights, freedom and democracy, and defending human rights and the democratic system is an essential duty of lawyers."

"Lawyers must stand as defenders of institutions grounded in universal values. The situation in Hong Kong is now critical. As Taiwanese lawyers, we understand that friends from Hong Kong may need to leave, so lawyers in Taiwan have formed this pro bono team to help them. If they face an emergency and wish to stay in Taiwan, our team will help them remain here and protect them from unlawful harm. As long as they are in Taiwan, the team will assist with the legal side of their applications. We also hope Taiwan's government agencies will promptly approve the applications our team files on their behalf, so that Hong Kongers facing urgent danger have a place where they feel safe, someone to back them up, and a chance to rest."

"Taiwanese lawyers will play this role and help them. We hope the government of the Republic of China, Taiwan's government, will move faster on this so that friends from Hong Kong can come to Taiwan with peace of mind. Taiwan is a free and democratic country, and a country able to offer help. As a member of the international community, we have both the responsibility and the obligation to assist friends from Hong Kong. This is what our commitment to freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law requires."

Covenants Watch Calls on the Hong Kong Government to Abide by International Conventions and Restore the Rule of Law

Hung Ching-ya, a researcher at Covenants Watch, said Taiwanese human rights groups have repeatedly called on the Hong Kong government to abide by the Basic Law and to respect and protect people's personal safety, freedom of expression, and freedom of assembly and association. In terms of state obligations, Hong Kong is bound by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. The recent general strikes are an exercise of the people's freedom of expression, right of assembly and right to strike. The Hong Kong police should not disperse people on the grounds of unlawful assembly, let alone arrest and detain them arbitrarily and endanger their personal safety.

Under Article 4 of the Convention against Torture, every state must ensure that all acts of torture are offenses under its criminal law. With many journalists having filmed police officers torturing people, the Hong Kong government is obliged to treat officers who have committed torture as it would any serious criminal case. Hung urged Taiwanese politicians and media to act responsibly and not to portray protesters as rioters, which would only show their ignorance of human rights, and called on the Hong Kong government to abide by international conventions and restore the rule of law in Hong Kong.

Taiwan Youth Association for Democracy: The Hong Kong Government Is Bloodying the City Like an Army Sacking It

Alvin Chang (Chang Yu-meng), secretary-general of the Taiwan Youth Association for Democracy, said that for those born in free and democratic Taiwan, it is hard to imagine nearly a hundred rounds an hour being fired on a university campus at defenseless students. "This is the brutality of a terrorist organization, bloodying Hong Kong with the mindset of an army sacking a city." He noted that Carrie Lam still calls her own people "rioters," endorses police violence and turns a blind eye to the blood shed by protesters. "Compare Hong Kongers who risk their safety to douse tear gas canisters with water with a government that fires beanbag rounds and rubber bullets at its own people and makes them bleed. Who is really violent?" Chang stressed that Taiwan will stand with Hong Kong against China's threats.

NTU Student Association President: When Totalitarian Violence Reaches Campuses, Society Has Badly Deteriorated

Tu Chun-ching, president of the National Taiwan University Student Association, said that when the violence of totalitarian rule extends onto campuses, it shows how badly society has deteriorated. In this situation, Taiwan's universities have a responsibility to take in students from elsewhere so they can continue their studies and their lives. Taiwanese society must stay on guard against the China factor eroding Taiwan's democracy, and the local collaborators and political and economic ties found on campuses also need to be exposed and dismantled. Recent measures taken by universities, Tu said, show the difference between free Taiwan and totalitarian China within the Chinese-speaking world, and make Taiwan a better choice for anyone who wants to study in a Chinese-language environment.

Alliance of Referendum for Taiwan: Beijing Uses the Same Playbook in Hong Kong and Taiwan, Propping Up Local Puppets and Working with Organized Crime

Lo Yi, executive director of the Alliance of Referendum for Taiwan, said China's oppression of Hong Kong and Taiwan is growing more intense, and the Chinese Communist Party uses the same methods in both: it props up local political puppets and works with organized crime to repress people politically and exploit their livelihoods and culture. The most fundamental aspiration of Hong Kongers, Lo said, is genuine self-rule and freedom from persecution and oppression by the CCP; they are simply fighting to reclaim rights that belong to people everywhere by birth. The alliance called on Taiwan's localist camp to unite and act in support of Hong Kong's localist frontline resistance, adding that the best support Taiwan can offer Hong Kong is to protect its own democracy, which is not yet complete but has made a start.

Taiwan Parent-Child Co-Learning Education Association: Hong Kongers Now Live in Constant Fear of Losing Their Children and Loved Ones

Chen Wan-yu, a parent with the Taiwan Parent-Child Co-Learning Education Association, said the most basic duty of a state is to let its people live in peace and to meet their basic needs. "What is a basic need? It is that children don't have to worry about losing their parents, and parents don't have to worry about losing their children. Yet Hong Kongers now live in deep fear that they could lose their children or their loved ones at any moment."

"This fear comes from the government that should be the people's support, and from the police who should protect them. How absurd that is!" Chen said the Hong Kong government's superior force is being used not to keep the peace but against students, children and pregnant women, and to sexually assault students. "A government like this can no longer meet people's basic needs. It should be stripped of power, permanently, by its people."

CUHK Student: Taiwanese Should Cherish Their Votes and Use Them to Defend Hard-Won Democracy and Freedom

Finally, Joanne, a Taiwanese student at the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) who had just returned to Taiwan, shared her experience in Hong Kong. She hoped everyone could find their own role: "If you want to help, there is always somewhere you can." Police stormed CUHK, fired thousands of rounds of tear gas and even sent in water cannon trucks to drive students off the campus. "It sounds absurd, but it really happened right next door in Hong Kong. Don't think it has nothing to do with you. What Hong Kong needs most now is international support. Today Hong Kong, tomorrow Taiwan."

Hong Kong's District Council elections will be held in ten days, yet Hong Kongers face attacks on and arrests of many pro-democracy politicians, along with rumors that the elections may be postponed or even canceled. Taiwan, separated from Hong Kong by only a strait, holds its own elections in two months. "Hong Kong cannot use the ballot to say no to totalitarianism. We earnestly hope the people of Taiwan will cherish their votes and use them to defend the democracy and freedom Taiwan has worked so hard to win."

Participating Organizations

Taiwan Association of University Professors
Taiwan Pro Bono Lawyers' Team in Support of Hong Kong Protesters
Covenants Watch
National Taiwan University Student Association
Taiwan Parent-Child Co-Learning Education Association
Presbyterian Church in Taiwan
Borderless Youth Hong Kong
Taiwan Student Union
Alliance of Referendum for Taiwan
Taiwan Youth Association for Democracy
Taiwan Association for Human Rights
Taiwan Citizen Front
New School for Democracy
Green Citizens' Action Alliance
Taiwan Forever Society