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The profession should be inspired by the heroism of these lawyers and honour them, Shi says
With the Law Society of Ontario’s commitment to monitor human rights violations that targeting members of the legal profession, bencher and trial lawyer Chi-Kun Shi wants the LSO to act on behalf of Hong Kong lawyers who uphold and defend the rule of law but face human rights violations in China.
.#BREAKING: Hong Kong Lawyer on Trial for Inciting Human Rights#Xitler tries lawyer for organizing vigil honoring 1000s massacred by CCP at Tiananmen
As the judge left the courtroom, people shouted "beat the Communist Party"
.https://t.co/JXsA0xgJKl— #WuhanLabVirus ????? (@YeOldEarthling) October 5, 2021
The LSO often writes letters to foreign governments opining on the rule of law and human rights, and Shi says that intervening for Hong Kong lawyers and paralegals in China honours their courage and sends a signal that they are supported and remembered.
The LSO wrote a letter to President Xi Jinping and Chief Executive Carrie Lam in May 2021 condemning the human rights violations of legal professionals and unjust sentencing of lawyers Dr. Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee, Martin Lee Chu-ming and Albert Ho Chun-yan for participating in “unauthorized protests” in April 2020.
The letter urged the president to comply with China’s international human rights laws, including the United Nation’s universal declaration of human rights.
Profile in courage: Ho’s lawyer, Chow Hang-tung, was arrested in a separate national security case. Chow was accused of not cooperating with a police investigation into the organisers of Hong Kong’s annual vigil for Tiananmen Square victims. https://t.co/Y2LdhmWlOJ
— Bruce Gellerman (@AudioBruce) September 28, 2021
“The recent convictions and unjust sentencing of lawyers and pro-democracy advocates lawyers Dr. Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee, Martin Lee Chu-ming and Albert Ho Chun-yan underscore the continuing assault on freedom of expression and right to assembly in Hong Kong. Arresting and charging lawyers and other human rights defenders who have engaged in peaceful assembly and advocacy creates a dangerous standard for all those who work to promote and defend human rights and the rule of law in Hong Kong.”
The LSO asked for the immediate and unconditional release of Ngoi-yee, Chu-ming and Chun-yan, the dismissal of their convictions and assurance that all lawyers, paralegals and human rights defenders can carry out their professional duties without fear of reprisals and physical violence.
"A Hong Kong group founded to support human rights lawyers in mainland China has announced it will disband, a decision coinciding with a deadline for the organisation to provide police with information requested on national security grounds."
— Noriko Padmakshi (@niningasih) September 23, 2021
Shi says she hopes the LSO will act within its power, “walk the talk,” and grant honorary LSO membership to Ngoi-yee, Chu-ming and Chun-yan. She intended to bring forward the motion for honorary membership on October 1 convocation but says she withdrew the motion to rework it.
“Instead of singling out three people who has illuminated the legal profession, I would like to include all the unsung heroes, lawyers and paralegals in Hong Kong who have stepped up in face of tyranny to defend our shared value of rule of law,” she says.
For example, “the young lawyers who jumped into taxis to follow paddy wagons to police station to represent the demonstrators arrested. They would want to be remembered.”
[…]
https://www.rfa.org/english/news/china/group-09212021150247.html
