【時代論壇訊】包括本地信徒社關團體在內的一群香港及海外人權及非政府組織，向行政長官林鄭月娥發出公開聯署信，要求立即中止《逃犯條例》及《刑事事宜相互法律協助條例》修訂。
公開信由國際特赦組織香港分會、香港人權監察，以及總部位於美國的人權觀察聯合發起，於六月六日發出。聯署團體合共七十六個，當中的信徒社關團體包括成立逾三十年的香港基督徒學會以及基督徒關懷香港學會；其他本地民間團體包括香港教育專業人員協會、傘後組織、以及多個本地及海外法律及人權組織。
公開信指，基於中國司法缺乏獨立性，以及其他程序上的缺陷引致不公正的審判，修訂會令香港境內任何從事與中國內地有關之工作的人士有風險，包括人權捍衛者、傳媒工作者、非政府組織員工及社工，即使當該罪行被指發生時，該人士並不在中國內地。
對於保安局強調修訂有足夠人權保障，以及指香港法院處理引渡案件時會考慮有關國家的人權狀況，公開信反駁指這些措施未足以提供真正保障。公開信指，現行入境條例以酷刑為由而拒絕驅逐、遣返或引渡的範圍並不涵蓋中國大陸，而本地法院在處理引渡申請時亦無清晰明確的管轄權和法律義務審查當地人權狀況。
公開信全文如下：
尊敬的行政長官：
關於香港引渡法例的建議修訂公開信
您好！就香港政府建議修訂《逃犯條例》及《刑事事宜相互法律協助條例》這兩條與引渡相關的法例，我們致函閣下以表達深切關注。
在現行的法例下，引渡及刑事事宜相互法律協助安排不適用於中國內地，是經慎重考慮後做的決定，反映公眾及立法局議員對中國的不良人權記錄的憂慮。然而，將引渡安排延伸至中國內地的修訂，會讓香港政府能移交香港境內的任何人（不論是香港居民，前往香港旅行或工作的人士，甚至只是過境人士）及他們所持有或管有的物料。
我們亦特別關注建議修訂中，任何人被控「協助、教唆、慫使或促致他人犯《逃犯條例》 所述的罪行，或（作為犯該條例所述罪行的事實之前或之後的從犯）煽惑他人犯該條例所述的罪行，或企圖犯該條例所述的罪行」，亦屬於可以被引渡的罪行。基於中國的司法制度缺乏獨立性，並有其他程序上的缺陷引致不公正的審判，我們擔憂建議修訂會令香港境內任何從事與中國內地有關之工作的人士有風險，包括人權捍衛者、傳媒工作者、非政府組織員工及社工，即使當該罪行被指發生時，該人士並不在中國內地。我們促請香港政府立即撤回修訂《逃犯條例》及《刑事事宜相互法律協助條例》的條例草案。
另外，香港政府建議修訂《刑事事宜相互法律協助條例》，令香港警方可以因應中國當局提出協助調查的要求，搜查個人或進入私人物業進行搜證，以及充公或凍結財產。
當政府的舉證達到表證成立的程度，法院就會頒令引渡疑犯。疑犯不能自行舉證及辯護，亦不能就證據作盤問。
建議修訂存有嚴重缺憾
香港保安局指，有關修訂已有足夠的人權保障，而香港法院會考慮提出逃犯和物料移交請求的國家的人權狀況。然而，這些保障措施在實際上不太可能提供真正和有效的保護：
1. 根據《入境條例》，香港政府以酷刑為理由而拒絕驅逐、遣返或引渡的適用範圍並不涵蓋中國
2. 法院沒有明確的管轄權和法律義務審查中國內地或其他國家的各種人權狀況
3. 根據建議修訂，移交逃犯或物料的安排，無法保證被移交的人能夠享有在香港刑事司法制度下相若的最低限度權利保障
4. 法院的審理職能僅限於確保香港政府已遵守《逃犯條例》所列明的正式規定
5. 剔除了立法會對於跟香港沒有簽訂移交逃犯協議的國家所提出的拘捕和引渡申請的審議程序
適用於香港的《公民權利和政治權利國際公約》、對香港有約束力的《禁止酷刑和其他殘忍、不人道或有辱人格的待遇或處罰公約》，以至習慣國際法都禁止將人遣返到其他司法管轄區，讓他們處於遭受真正酷刑與其他形式虐待（包括無限期拘押於惡劣環境下），或其他嚴重人權侵犯之風險。我們更要指出，正如現行香港法例及慣例已反映，若被移交的人可能面對死刑，當局有義務硬性拒絕任何引渡要求，而不訴諸死刑的保證則必須可信而有效，且願意接受香港的司法審查。
中國司法制度的各種問題，包括任意拘押、施行酷刑與其他虐待、嚴重侵犯公正審判權，以至未經審訊下將人拘押並與外界隔絕的各種體系，早已紀錄在案。司法機構不是獨立於政府及中國共產黨，更令問題加劇。因此，我們極度擔心任何人若被引渡到中國都可能有風險，會遭受酷刑與其他形式的虐待及其他嚴重人權侵犯。
我們促請香港政府立即停止修訂《逃犯條例》及《刑事事宜相互法律協助條例》。
希望閣下早日回覆，我們很樂意與相關官員討論上述事宜。
人權觀察中國部主任 索菲・理查森 (Sophie Richardson)
香港人權監察總幹事 羅沃啟
國際特赦組織香港分會總幹事 譚萬基
二零一九年六月六日6 June, 2019
Carrie Lam
Chief Executive Office of the Chief Executive Tamar Hong Kong
[email protected]Dear Chief Executive,
OPEN LETTER REGARDING PROPOSED CHANGES TO HONG KONG’S EXTRADITION LAW
We are writing to express our grave concern regarding the Hong Kong government’s proposed amendments to two Hong Kong laws concerning extradition, the Fugitive Offenders’ Ordinance (FOO) and the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Ordinance (MLACMO).
The existing legislation expressly excludes Mainland China from extradition and mutual legal assistance arrangements, a deliberate decision reflecting public and lawmakers’ concerns about China’s poor human rights record. However, the proposed changes to expand the extradition arrangement to Mainland China would have the effect of enabling the handover of persons in the territory of Hong Kong, be they residents of Hong Kong, persons travelling to or working in Hong Kong, or persons merely in transit, as well as materials carried by them or in their possession.
We are especially concerned that in the proposed amendments, anyone who is accused of “aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring the commission of, inciting, being an accessory before or after the fact to, or attempting to commit an offence” that are within the offences described in the FOO, will also fall on the extraditable offences. Given the Chinese judiciary’s lack of independence, and other procedural shortcomings that often result in unfair trials, we are worried that the proposed changes will put at risk anyone in the territory of Hong Kong who has carried out work related to the Mainland, including human rights defenders, journalists, NGO workers and social workers, even if the person was outside the Mainland when the ostensible crime was committed. We are calling on the Hong Kong government to immediately withdraw the bill to amend the FOO and the MLACMO.
The government also proposed to amend the MLACMO, which allows Hong Kong police to search individuals or enter private premises for evidence and confiscate or freeze properties in Hong Kong upon China’s request for assistance.
The court would order the extradition of the suspect once the evidence adduced by the government reaches prima facie level. The suspect cannot adduce evidence and raise a defence and there is no cross-examination on the evidence.
Serious shortcomings in the proposed amendment
The Hong Kong Security Bureau contends that the amendments contain adequate safeguards for human rights and any Hong Kong court would consider the human rights situation of the countries that make the request for surrender of fugitives or material. However, in practice, the safeguards are unlikely to provide genuine and effective protection:
1. Under the Immigration Ordinance, “torture claims” to ward off forced removals cannot be made against China
2. The court does not have the clear explicit jurisdiction and legal obligation to examine the various human rights involved in Mainland China or in other countries
3. Surrender of fugitives or materials under the proposed arrangement does not guarantee comparable minimum rights enjoyed by persons in Hong Kong’s criminal justice system
4. The courts’ review function is limited to ensure the Hong Kong government has complied with the formal requirements set out in the FOO
5. Removal of legislative scrutiny for the arrest and surrender of persons requested by a country with which Hong Kong does not have a treaty-based arrangementThe International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which applies to Hong Kong, and the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, to which Hong Kong is bound, as well as customary international law, prohibit the return of individuals to jurisdictions where there is a real risk of torture or other ill-treatment, including detention in poor conditions for indefinite periods, or other serious human rights violations. We also note the obligation to mandatorily and generally refuse extradition requests where the person sought may face the death penalty, as reflected in present Hong Kong law and practice, and that any assurances as to its non-application would have to be reliable, effective and open to judicial scrutiny in Hong Kong.
China’s justice system has a record of arbitrary detention, torture and other ill-treatment, serious violations of fair trial rights, enforced disappearances and various systems of incommunicado detention without trial. These problems are exacerbated because the Mainland judiciary lacks independence from the government and the Chinese Communist Party. As a result, we are gravely concerned that anyone extradited to China will be at risk of torture and other ill-treatment and other grave human rights violations.
We are calling on the Hong Kong government to immediately halt its plan to amend the legislation. We look forward to your reply and would appreciate receiving your response on this matter.
Sincerely,
Man-kei Tam
Director
Amnesty International Hong KongLaw Yuk Kai
Director
Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor
Sophie Richardson China Director Human Rights WatchSophie Richardson
China Director
Human Rights WatchCo-signing Organizations of Human Rights Defenders and Journalists 共同簽署的人權組織及傳媒工作者 :
Asia Monitor Resource Centre 亞洲專訊資料研究中心
Committee to Support Chinese Lawyers
Justice Centre Hong Kong
Progressive Lawyers Group 法政匯思
The Committee to Protect Journalists
China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group 中國維權律師關注組
Covenants Watch 人權公約施行監督聯盟
Lawyers' Rights Watch Canada
Reporter Without Borders (RSF) 無國界記者
The Hong Kong Society for Asylum-seekers and Refugees
Chinese Human Rights Defenders
Hong Kong Watch
Leitner Center for International Law and Justice at Fordham Law School
Taiwan Alliance to End the Death Penalty 台灣廢除死刑推動聯盟
The Law Society of England and Wales
Civil Rights Observer
Judicial Reform Foundation 民間司法改革基金會 (台灣)
PEN Hong Kong
Taiwan Association for Human Rights 台灣人權促進會
The Rights Practice
Co-signing non-governmental organizations 共同簽署的非政府組織 :Animal Life Guard Action Group
Canada-Hong Kong Link 港加聯
Dolphin Family 豚聚一家
Hong Kong Forum, Los Angeles 洛杉磯香港論壇
International Service for Human Rights
Canadian Friends of Hong Kong 加拿大香港之友
Fair Trade Hong Kong 香港公平貿易聯盟
Hong Kong Professional Teachers’ Union 香港教育專業人員協會
Christians for Hong Kong Society 基督徒關懷香港學會
Financier Conscience 思言財雋
Hong Kong Wild Boar Concern Group 香港野豬關注組
Les Corner Empowerment Association 女角平權協作組
Australia-Hong Kong Link 澳港聯
Chosen Power (People First Hong Kong) 卓新力量
Friends of Conscience 良心之友
Humanistic Education Foundation, Taiwan 人本教育文教基本會
Civil Renaissance 思言行
Hong Kong Christian Institute Limited 香港基督徒學會
International Domestic Workers Federation
la la team 啦啦隊
Living in Kwun Tong 活在觀塘
Northern California Hong Kong Club 北加州香港會
Midnight Blue 午夜藍
NY4HK
Mongrel Dog Lovers 唐狗就是寶
Open Data Hong Kong
New Arrival Women League 同根社
Planet Ally
The Association for the Advancement of Feminism 新婦女協進會
Umbrella Blossom 撐傘落區運動
New School for Democracy 華人民主書院
PRIDELAB
Hong Kong Women Workers' Association 香港婦女勞工協會
Wang Chau Green Belt Concern Group
Rainbow Action 彩虹行動
The Human Commons 囂民集作
Save Hong Kong Heritages 全民保育行動
Toronto Association for Democracy in China 多倫多支持中國民運會
Taiwan Forever Association 永社
Vancouver Society in Support of Democratic Movement
Worker Empowerment 勞動力
東北反逼遷動物戰隊
放射良心
Youth Synergy Taiwan Foundation 財團法人青平台基金會社會培力中心
嚴重弱智人士家長協會
Civil Society Development Resources Center 公民社會發展資源中心
Scholars’ Alliance for Academic Association of Freedom 學術自由學者聯盟
International Association of People's Lawyers
Justice and Peace Commission of the Hong Kong Catholic Diocese 香港天主教正義和平委員會
Students and Scholars Against Corporate Misbehaviour 大學師生監察無良企業行動
Civil Human Rights Front 民間人權陣線
HK Equality Project
Hong Kong Unison Limited 香港融樂會有限公司
