The People's Republic of China, under the rule of His Excellency Xi Jinping, continues to attack Human Rights within its borders.

The silencing of protesters and the abuse of Chinese citizens is akin totalitarianism previously seen in the worst moments of Human history. No nation has stood up to the decisions and actions of the Chinese Government as their influence and trade is exceedingly valuable.

Their economic worth to other nations, including the UK and other EU members, comes at a great price. Ignoring the atrocities, ignoring the suffering, and allowing commerce to overrule common decency.

The events currently ongoing in Hong Kong are seldom reported here in the UK as the news continues its daily focus on the slight changes regarding Brexit. However, we must broaden our scope of the current problems we face. We cannot only focus on ourselves without so much as issuing a statement of our stance.

Those who have been arrested for protesting have been branded as criminals. Innocent pedestrians have been tackled to the ground by Chinese riot police and have had incriminating evidence planted on their person. Riot police officers have been recorded firing bullets at unarmed protesters. The evidence of all of this and more can easily be found on online forums, and I implore the reader of this petition to seek it out and evaluate the situation for themselves. Fortunately, our access to the internet is not as heavily regulated, and so the truth is effortlessly within our grasp.

The Chinese Government has clearly issued a heavily militarised approach to the silencing of those whose demands are the following:

Full withdrawal of the extradition bill

A commission of inquiry into alleged police brutality

Retracting the classification of protesters as “rioters”

Amnesty for arrested protesters

Dual universal suffrage, meaning for both the Legislative Council and the Chief Executive

These citizens simply want their voices to be heard. They should be allowed to question their government without the threat of imprisonment. Should we unite to denounce the silencing of these rights, as we have done in the past, we may continue to strengthen the global integrity of human rights.

The silencing must be heard and our leaders must voice it.

