The Liberal Democrats have joined with Amnesty International in calling for an independent investigation into police violence during the Hong Kong protests.
Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael, who has introduced a Bill with cross-party support which would require the Government offer Hong Kong citizens the right to live in the UK, said “the UK has a moral and legal duty to stand with protestors in their efforts to secure their rights and freedoms”.
Mr Carmichael’s Bill would re-open the offer of a British National Overseas (BNO) passports for Hong Kong citizens and extend the scheme to provide the “right of abode”, allowing a person to live or work indefinitely in the UK.
Liberal Democrat Foreign Affairs Spokesperson Alistair Carmichael said: “There have been repeated reports of police brutality against Hong Kong citizens since the start of protests last spring. The UK has a moral and legal duty to stand with protestors in their efforts to secure their rights and freedoms.
“Boris Johnson’s slogan of ‘Global Britain’ is meaningless if his Government is timid in the area of international human rights.
“An independent investigation into police violence during the Hong Kong protests must happen. The Prime Minister should support those calls and the calls from the Liberal Democrats to reopen the BNO Passport offer, extending it to provide the right of abode to all holders.”