The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government voiced opposition to harboring of criminals by other countries in an official statement on Friday, hoping that those who've committed crimes in the city could face the legal consequences that he or she deserved.
"In Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, any arrest and prosecution is directed against the criminal act and has nothing to do with the political stance, background or thought of the person or people concerned," said the statement.
Since June 2019, when the widespread protests against a now-defunct legal change that proposed extradition of criminals to the Chinese mainland broke out, several criminals who perpetrated serious crimes have absconded to evade legal responsibilities, according to the statement.
Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Carrie Lam (C) and multiple other government officials and members of the Executive Council attend a press conference on introducing the National Security Law for the HKSAR, in Hong Kong, south China, May 22, 2020. /Xinhua
The criminal activities include serious wounding, arson, making petrol bombs or explosives, criminal damage, rioting, and colluding with foreign forces or external elements to endanger national security.
These criminals came up with many excuses, including lying to the court for approval to leave Hong Kong and alleging that they were prosecuted for political reasons, to deliberately escape justice, the statement said, adding that these were shameful and cowardly acts.
The harboring of these people shows "contempt for the rule of law, gross disrespect for Hong Kong's legal systems and barbaric interference in the city's affairs," read the statement.
Everyone shall receive a fair and just trial, it added.