The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government on Friday released a statement which strongly refutes the recent allegations made by certain officials and politicians in the United States, the United Kingdom and the European Parliament relating to a Hong Kong Police's arrest operation on April 18 and other security matters.

A spokesperson from the HKSAR government said: "They were totally unfounded and amounted to a serious intervention in Hong Kong's affairs. The HKSAR government strongly disagreed with the grossly irresponsible remarks and expressed deep regret about them."

The spokesperson pointed out that since its return to the Motherland, the HKSAR had maintained stability and prosperity under the principle of "One Country, Two Systems", exercising "Hong Kong people administering Hong Kong" and a high degree of autonomy in strict accordance with the Basic Law of the HKSAR of the People's Republic of China.  

Meanwhile, the spokesperson added that "we take great exception to comments made by officials and politicians in foreign countries concerning the recent arrests and prosecution of a number of persons for organizing and participating in unauthorized assemblies in Hong Kong."

Earlier, the Hong Kong police said they arrested 14 people on April 18 for their involvement in several unauthorized assemblies during the unrest in 2019.

The arrested include Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, Martin Lee Chu-ming and Albert Ho Chun-Yan, the major instigators of last year's Hong Kong riots, according to local media reports.