Hong Kong - A coalition of Christians and Catholics called on Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam on Monday to drop charges against political activist’s jailed or in custody under a China-imposed national security law. The activists include media tycoon Jimmy Lai and prominent names like journalist-turned-opposition politician Gwyneth Ho and lawyer Chow Hang Tung.

More than a dozen Christian and Catholic groups and leaders backed the petition that was handed to a government representative outside Hong Kong's government headquarters.

"She could be active in asking Beijing (for an amnesty)," said Catholic priest Franco Mella, referring to Hong Kong's leader Carrie Lam, who is a devout Catholic.

"Let's hope she gives an answer to the voice of her conscience as a Catholic," Mella said, flanked by Reverend Chi Wood Fung, a Hong Kong Anglican priest and former lawmaker. "I hope more voices can be heard about the possibility of an amnesty for them."

Among the signatories was Reverend Alan Smith of St. Albans in the U.K. and the former Archbishop of Armagh in Ireland, Lord Eames. Mella said he hoped the Pope would "join his voice" in speaking out on rights issues in Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong National Security Law

China imposed a sweeping national security law in June 2020 outlawing subversion, collusion with foreign forces, terrorism and secession with possible life imprisonment. More than 160 people have been arrested under the legislation.

Some Western governments and rights groups say authorities are using the law to silence dissent and curb freedoms.

Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, however, say the law has brought stability to the financial hub after protracted pro-democracy protests in 2019.

Although some of Hong Kong's government and commercial elites are Catholic and pro-Beijing, including Lam, other Catholics have long been active in the pro-democracy and anti-government movements including Lai and former law professor Benny Tai.

Some observers see Hong Kong's broad religious freedoms and traditions, like the rule of law, as one of the remaining strongholds of the "one country, two systems" model under which Britain handed its former colony back to Chinese rule in 1997.

The Basic Law, the mini constitution that governs "one country, two systems", explicitly provides for freedom of conscience and broad religious freedom.

Prominent arrests under NSL

Among the most prominent national security law defendants are 47 pro-democracy activists and former lawmakers arrested in a mass raid in early 2021, as well as former media tycoon and China critic Lai.

Media mogul Jimmy Lai, founder of Apple Daily, arrives the Court of Final Appeal, for hearing an appeal by the Department of Justice against the bail decision of Jimmy, in Hong Kong, China December 31, 2020. 

A Hong Kong court had sentenced media tycoon Jimmy Lai and seven other pro-democracy figures to up to 14 months behind bars for participating in an unauthorized assembly in 2020, to commemorate the Tiananmen Square crackdown.

Lai, the founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily newspaper, was sentenced to  an additional 13 months in prison on 13 December 2021,at the District Court for inciting and participating in the peaceful candlelight vigil on June 4, 2020, which authorities declared illegal. He had earlier pleaded not guilty.
-Reuters and others