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resolution motion, 14 September 2026

On deteriorating situation of media freedom and freedom of expression in Hong Kong following the recent arrest of bookseller Leticia Wong and the convictions of Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung

Motion B-10-2026-0399 · (2026/2873(RSP))

on behalf of the Renew Group · Rapporteur: Petras Auštrevičius, Karin Karlsbro, Malik Azmani, Svenja Hahn, Engin Eroglu, Hilde Vautmans, Jan-Christoph Oetjen, Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, Oihane Agirregoitia Martínez, Lucia Yar, Dan Barna, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Anna Stürgkh, Helmut Brandstätter, Ľubica Karvašová, Veronika Cifrová Ostrihoňová

On Parliament’s site PDF Word

AI:In short

Parliament's resolution condemns the arrest of bookseller Leticia Wong and the convictions of Lee Cheuk-yan, Chow Hang-tung and Albert Ho under Hong Kong's National Security Law. It urges Hong Kong authorities to release them and all others detained for exercising fundamental freedoms, and to drop all charges. It calls for repeal of the National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, and for EU member states to suspend extradition treaties with China. It asks the Council to review its 2020 Conclusions on Hong Kong and adopt sanctions against Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and other officials.

Key points

  1. Leticia Wong and her husband were arrested on 24 June 2026 and accused of selling seditious materials under the National Security Law and of money laundering.
  2. Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung were sentenced to 7 years and Albert Ho to over 5 years in prison under the National Security Law for organizing Tiananmen vigils.
  3. The text states that since the beginning of June 2026, 401 individuals have been arrested for national security crimes and 182 convicted.
  4. It says China breached the Sino-British Joint Declaration, which guaranteed Hong Kong special status until 2047, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
  5. Parliament condemns the arrest of Wong and the sentencing of Lee Cheuk-yan, Chow Hang-tung, Albert Ho and all other political prisoners.
  6. It urges Hong Kong authorities to release Wong, Cheuk-yan, Hang-tung, Ho and all others detained for exercising fundamental freedoms, and to drop all charges, naming Jimmy Lai and Joshua Wong.
  7. It denounces the prosecutions as a systematic effort to silence independent media, free speech and political opposition, and insists on repealing the National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.
  8. It urges all EU member states to suspend extradition treaties with China and to protect persecuted individuals in the EU from transnational repression.
  9. It calls on the EU Delegation to intensify diplomatic engagement and monitoring of these cases and to raise Hong Kong human rights cases in every meeting with the Hong Kong side.
  10. It urges the Council to review its 2020 Conclusions on Hong Kong and adopt sanctions under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and responsible Hong Kong and PRC officials.

Who is affected

  • Leticia Wong, Lee Cheuk-yan, Chow Hang-tung, Albert Ho and other detainees, for whom release and dropped charges are demanded.
  • Hong Kong authorities, urged to release detainees, drop charges and repeal the National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.
  • EU member states, urged to suspend extradition treaties with China and protect persecuted individuals from transnational repression.
  • The Council, urged to review its 2020 Conclusions on Hong Kong and adopt sanctions against named officials.
  • The EU Delegation, asked to intensify diplomatic engagement and monitoring and raise Hong Kong human rights cases in meetings.

Figures and deadlines

  • 24 June 2026, the date Leticia Wong and her husband were arrested.
  • up to seven years in prison for seditious intentions and up to fourteen years for money laundering, the sentences they could face.
  • 7 years, the sentence for Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung; over 5 years for Albert Ho.
  • 2020, the year the National Security Law was introduced; 2024, the year of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.
  • 401 individuals arrested and 182 convicted for national security crimes since the beginning of June 2026.
  • 2047, the year until which the Sino-British Joint Declaration guaranteed Hong Kong special status.

Written by AI from the full text · every figure comes from the text · ¶ opens the paragraph · 18 Sept 2026 · Report a problem

Full text

Text 16 paragraphs

B100399/2026

European Parliament resolution on deteriorating situation of media freedom and freedom of expression in Hong Kong following the recent arrest of bookseller Leticia Wong and the convictions of Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung

(2026/2873(RSP))

The European Parliament,

having regard to its previous resolutions on Hong Kong and China,

having regard to Rules 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

Whereas bookseller and former district councillor for the now-disbanded Civic Party Leticia Wong and her husband were arrested on 24 June 2026 and accused of selling seditious materials under the China-introduced National Security Law (NSL) and of money laundering; whereas they could both face up to seven years in prison for seditious intentions and up to fourteen years in prison for money laundering;

Whereas Hong Kong’s activists, Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, were sentenced to 7 years and Albert Ho to over 5 years in prison, after being convicted under the NSL for organizing annual vigils to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre where the Chinese government violently cracked down on mostly unarmed civilians;

Whereas these prosecutions reflect the dramatic deterioration of freedom of expression, media freedom and judicial independence in Hong Kong, following the introduction of the NSL in 2020 and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO) in 2024; whereas since the beginning of June 2026, 401 individuals have been arrested for various national security crimes and 182 have been convicted;

Whereas by imposing the NSL, China has breached an international legally binding agreement, which guaranteed Hong Kong special status until 2047 under the Sino-British Joint Declaration, and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which remains applicable to Hong Kong;

Condemns in the strongest terms the arrest of Leticia Wong, and sentencing of Lee Cheuk-yan, Chow Hang-tung and Albert Ho, and all other political prisoners;

Urges the Hong Kong authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Wong, Cheuk-yan, Hang-tung, Ho and all other individuals detained for exercising their fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression and assembly, and to drop all charges against them, such as Jimmy Lai and Joshua Wong;

Denounces these arbitrary prosecutions as clear evidence of a systematic effort to silence Hong Kong's independent media, free speech, and political opposition; insists on the repeal of the NSL and the SNSO; urges all EU Member States to suspend extradition treaties with China and to protect persecuted individuals in the EU from the risks of transnational repression;

Calls on the EU Delegation to intensify diplomatic engagement and monitoring regarding the situation of Wong, Lee, Chow and Ho and all other related cases, and raise Hong Kong human rights cases during every meeting with the Hong Kong side;

Urges the Council to urgently review its 2020 Conclusions on Hong Kong and adopt sanctions under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and all Hong Kong and People’s Republic of China (PRC) officials responsible for the crackdown on freedoms in Hong Kong;

Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Member States, the Commission and the Council, the PRC and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.