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Written question asked by Lord Cormack (Conservative) on Tuesday, 20 December 2022, in the House of Lords. It was due for an answer on Friday, 6 January 2023. It was answered by Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon (Conservative) on Friday, 6 January 2023 on behalf of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Hong Kong: Religious Freedom

Question

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of religious freedom in Hong Kong.

Answer

The UK is committed to defending freedom of religion or belief (FoRB) for all, including Hong Kongers, and promoting respect between different religious and non-religious communities. Promoting the right to FoRB is one of the UK's longstanding human rights priorities.

The Sino-British Joint Declaration is a legally binding treaty between the UK and China, and under this China committed to uphold Hong Kong's high degree of autonomy and protect the rights and freedoms of its people. This explicitly includes freedom of expression and freedom of religious belief.

However, the Hong Kong authorities have repeatedly used the National Security Law (NSL) to curtail freedoms, punish dissent and shrink the space for political opposition. We remain concerned about the growing use of the NSL to suppress freedom of expression and what this may mean for FoRB.

Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
HL4445
Session
2022-23
Subjects
Hong Kong Religious freedom
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk