The UK Should Refer Hong Kong’s Transnational Repression to the International Criminal Court(内含中文翻譯)
On 7 May 2026, a jury at the Central Criminal Court of England and Wales convicted Chung Biu “Bill” Yuen and Chi Leung “Peter” Wai, by a majority verdict of 10 to 2, of assisting a foreign intelligence service. The jury also unanimously convicted Wai of misconduct in public office.
On 14 May 2026, Dan Jarvis, the UK Minister of State for Security, stated during a national security briefing in Parliament that, following the verdicts, Foreign Secretary David Lammy had summoned the Chinese Ambassador to the UK, Zheng Zeguang, and made clear that it is wholly unacceptable for employees of a foreign power to conduct shadow policing activities in the UK. He further stated that the UK had made clear to Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee that the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London must immediately dismiss its Administrative Manager, Bill Yuen, who had been convicted of violating national security law.
On 30 September 2024, the Lithuanian Ministry of Justice referred a situation to the International Criminal Court (“ICC”), alleging that Belarusian law-enforcement authorities had committed crimes against humanity against opposition civilians, including persecution, deportation and other inhumane acts. Lithuania argued that part of the alleged criminal conduct had taken place in Lithuania and in other ICC States Parties, and that the ICC therefore had jurisdiction.
On the same day, the ICC announced that it had opened a preliminary examination. On 12 March 2026, the Office of the Prosecutor announced that there was a reasonable basis to proceed with a formal investigation.
The persecution carried out by the Hong Kong authorities against dissidents has taken place on British soil, and some of the Hong Kong officials involved in the suppression and persecution are British citizens or BNO status holders. The UK authorities therefore have both a legal and moral obligation to use existing mechanisms under international law to protect the freedom of expression of UK residents and to pursue criminal accountability for human-rights violations committed within the UK.
If Hongkongers actively contact Members of Parliament and urge the UK Government to go beyond verbal condemnation, they can help push for the UK Attorney General to refer the situation to the ICC.
2026年5月7日，英國中央刑事法院陪審團以10比2裁定被告袁松彪 (Chung Biu “Bill” Yuen) 、衛志樑 (Chi Leung “Peter” Wai) 在「協助外國情報機關」 (assisting a foreign intelligence service) 罪名成立，一致裁定衛志樑在「公職人員行為失當」 (misconduct in public office) 罪名成立。
2026年5月14日，英國內政部保安事務國務大臣Dan Jarvis在英國國會出席國安簡報會時表示，外交大臣David Lammy在裁決後已召見中國駐英大使鄭澤光，明確表示外國勢力僱員在英國進行影子警察活動是完全不能接受，並已向香港行政長官李家超表明香港駐倫敦經貿辦須即時解僱經已被裁定違反國安法的行政經理袁松彪。
2024年9月30日，立陶宛司法部聯絡國際刑事法院(ICC)，指控白俄羅斯執法部門當局對反對派平民犯下迫害、驅逐出境、其他不人道行為等危害人類罪，而相關罪行部分發生在立陶宛以及其他ICC締約國，因此ICC有權行駛管轄權。
同日ICC宣佈展開初步調查。2026年3月12日檢察官辦公室宣佈有合理展開正式調查。
香港當局對於異見人士進行的迫害發生在英國本土，部分參與鎮壓和迫害的香港官員更是英國公民或者BNO持有人。英國當局有法律及道德義務通過現有國際法律機制，保護英國居民行駛言論的自由、追究在英國境內侵犯人權的刑事責任。
如果香港人能夠積極聯絡英國國會議員，推動英國政府在言辭譴責以外，讓英國司法部長發信將情況轉介ICC。