US lawmakers urge action on Hong Kong's political prisoners, citing abuse, rights violations

Washington DC [US], November 17 : The chairman of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party (SCCP) sent a letter to Secretary of State Antony J Blinken expressing deep concern over the health, welfare, and human rights of the political prisoners in Hong Kong.
The lawmakers, citing testimony from lawyers, friends, and families of detainees, allege that political prisoners in Hong Kong face torture, mistreatment, poor food, extreme heat, denial of religious materials, and are prevented from filing complaints about their treatment.
The letter calls on the US Consul General in Hong Kong to assess prison conditions and determine if Hong Kong is violating international human rights standards and its own laws. It also requests a briefing from the US Department of State on efforts to secure the release of political prisoners and actions taken to hold the Hong Kong government accountable for arbitrary detentions.
Additionally, the lawmakers urge the US to call for an urgent discussion on the human rights situation in Hong Kong at the UN Human Rights Council, a request that has been backed by over 50 independent human rights experts for more than four years. They also advocate for US diplomatic efforts in Geneva to push for an investigation into the conditions of Hong Kong's prisons, especially regarding political prisoners, and to secure access for UN Special Rapporteurs.
The lawmakers' concerns were partly triggered by the case of political prisoner Owen Chow and his lawyer, Phyllis Woo. Chow received additional jail time for attempting to send an ombudsman complaint regarding the destruction of religious books, and Woo was fined for aiding him. The lawmakers argue that Hong Kong's prison system is failing to uphold the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners, which include protections for inmates' rights to confidential complaints processes.
The letter also highlights the cases of prominent political prisoners such as media mogul Jimmy Lai, who has been held in prolonged solitary confinement for over three and a half years, denied medical care, and restricted from access to sunlight. In addition, the lawmakers point to reports of abuse in juvenile detention centres, including physical and sexual assault, and emphasise the lack of accountability for prison officials.
The lawmakers also expressed alarm over the Hong Kong government's attempts to silence information about prison conditions and mistreatment, calling for independent investigations and greater international diplomatic pressure. They concluded by emphasising their commitment to working with a global network of parliamentarians to confront the Chinese Communist Party's erosion of human rights and rule of law both in Hong Kong and worldwide.