Benedict Rogers’ Inadmissibility to Hong Kong: An affront to “Two Systems”

Human rights activist Benedict Rogers, who planned to visit Hong Kong’s student leaders serving jail time on a private visit, was deported at the Hong Kong International Airport on October 11, 2017. Rogers has spoken against the jailing of Joshua Wong, Nathan Law, and Alex Chow — three student leaders who were associated with the Hong Kong’s democracy protests in 2014, known as the Umbrella Movement — and organized an international petition demanding their release. Rogers’ work in Burma is well known, and he is a regular contributor to international media. He is co-founder and deputy chair of UK Conservative Party Human Rights Commission.

I strongly condemn the Government for denying him entry. Whether or not Chinese mission to London is involved in the decision, it further shows that the purported “One Country, Two Systems” that guarantees Hong Kong’s freedom and human rights is quickly being eroded. International confidence in Hong Kong will also be undermined as a result. I call on the British Government to demand an explanation from its Chinese counterpart.

Raymond Chan

Member, Hong Kong Legislative Council

I met Benedict Rogers in London with fellow legislators from Hong Kong in October 2017

[Ray Chan is Hong Kong parliamentarian (2012 — ) and Chairperson of People Power (2016 — ). He is the first openly gay lawmaker in the Chinese-speaking world, reelected to public office with 45,993 votes. Follow him on Twitter @slowbeat_chan ]