Hong Kong Warns Countries, Groups Not to 'Harbor' Political Refugees

Hong Kong's government on Friday hit out at "countries who harbor criminals," after exiled former pro-democracy lawmaker Nathan Law said he had been granted political asylum by the United Kingdom. Law, 27, tweeted earlier this week that he had been approved as a political asylum-seeker by the Home Office following a series of intervies over four months.

The Hong Kong government said on Friday that it opposed the "harboring of criminals" by other countries, regions, organizations, or individuals. Apparently dispensing with Hong Kong's rule-of-law principle that the accused are presumed innocent until proven guilty, it said "criminals [were alleging] that they were prosecuted for political reasons to deliberately escape justice."

"Any country, region, organisation or individual that harbours Hong Kong criminals in any form shows contempt for the rule of law, grossly disrespects Hong Kong's legal systems and barbarically interferes in the affairs of Hong Kong," it said, in comments closely resembling those made by a foreign ministry spokesman in Beijing on Thursday.

"They shall eventually bear the consequences of what they have done," it said.

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