A Sweden-based non-profit organisation has urged the European Union to impose travel bans and asset freezes on 14 Hong Kong government and Hong Kong Police Force representatives over alleged human rights violations committed during the 2019–2020 protests.
According to Narayan Liu, EU Regional Director and Policy Lead at Stand with Hong Kong EU, the submission argues that the actions of the named officials amount to cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment and torture, as defined by the European Court of Human Rights through established case law.
On 11 December, Stand with Hong Kong EU — the European division of Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong — published a 52-page sanctions submission titled An EU Perspective on Hong Kong: Sanctionable Human Rights Violations Committed During the 2019–2020 Protests. The report was transmitted to all 27 EU member states via the European External Action Service and the EU Council’s Human Rights Working Party.
The submission compiles evidence of human rights violations committed by Hong Kong authorities during the protest period and recommends targeted sanctions under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime. Among the 14 individuals named are current Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, former Chief Executive Carrie Lam, and Secretary for Security Chris Tang.
According to the report, the conduct of the named officials meets the legal thresholds for crimes against humanity and cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment under international law, including the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Convention against Torture. The submission also draws on European Court of Human Rights rulings to argue that comparable uses of disproportionate police force in Europe have been classified as CIDT or torture.
The report details several high-profile incidents from the protest period, including the mob attack in Yuen Long on 21 July 2019, the police operation at Prince Edward MTR station on 31 August 2019, the siege of Hong Kong Polytechnic University, and the widespread deployment of tear gas, rubber bullets and baton charges against demonstrators and bystanders. It further alleges that in some cases medical assistance was deliberately obstructed.
Stand with Hong Kong EU says the submission is intended to link documented events from the 2019–2020 protests directly to the EU’s legal and sanctions framework. The organisation argues that while Hong Kong’s National Security Law and subsequent Article 23 legislation are unlikely to be repealed through international pressure, targeted EU sanctions could deter further abuses and the continued pursuit of pro-democracy activists, including those living in exile.
Formed in 2019–2020, Stand with Hong Kong EU works to keep Hong Kong on the EU–China agenda by highlighting shared values between Europe and Hong Kong and by engaging directly with EU institutions and member states. Its activities have included parliamentary briefings, study sessions, public campaigns, and cross-border parliamentary exchanges across Europe.
The sanctions submission marks the first time a Hong Kong advocacy organisation has formally requested the EU to sanction Hong Kong officials under the bloc’s global human rights sanctions mechanism
