On the deteriorating situation of media freedom and freedom of expression in Hong Kong following the recent arrest of bookseller Leticia Wong and the convictions of Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung

European Parliament resolution on the deteriorating situation of media freedom and freedom of expression in Hong Kong following the recent arrest of bookseller Leticia Wong and the convictions of Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung

(2026/2873(RSP))

The European Parliament,

– having regard to its previous resolutions on Hong Kong and China,

– having regard to Rules 150(5) and 136(4) of its Rules of Procedure,

A. whereas bookseller and former district councillor for the now disbanded Civic Party Leticia Wong and her husband were arrested on 24 June 2026 and accused of selling seditious materials under the National Security Law (NSL) introduced by China, and of money laundering; whereas they could face between 7 and 21 years in prison;

B. whereas Hong Kong activists Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung were sentenced to seven years, and Albert Ho to over five years, in prison after being convicted under the NSL for organising annual vigils to commemorate the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre; whereas Jimmy Lai is serving a 20-year prison sentence in harsh conditions;

C. whereas these prosecutions reflect the further dramatic deterioration of freedom of expression, media freedom and judicial independence in Hong Kong, following the introduction of the NSL in 2020 and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO) in 2024; whereas since the beginning of June 2026, 401 people have been arrested for various national security crimes, and 182 convicted;

1. Condemns in the strongest possible terms the intensified dismantling of freedoms in Hong Kong, in particular freedom of expression, media freedom, and freedom of peaceful assembly and association, through the application of the NSL and the SNSO, and calls for their repeal;

2. Condemns in the strongest terms the arrest of Leticia Wong, and the sentencing of Lee Cheuk-yan, Chow Hang-tung, Albert Ho and all other political prisoners;

3. Urges the Hong Kong authorities to immediately and unconditionally release Wong, Lee, Chow, Ho, Lai and all others detained for exercising their fundamental freedoms, including freedom of expression and assembly, and to drop all charges against them;

4. Recalls that Hong Kong remains bound by its ICCPR obligations; reiterates that the Sino-British Joint Declaration remains legally binding and calls on the Chinese authorities to honour the commitments made therein and in the Hong Kong Basic Law;

5. Urges the EU Delegation to intensify diplomatic engagement and monitoring regarding the situation of Wong, Lee, Chow, Ho, Lai and related cases;

6. Stresses that respect for human rights, media freedom and the rule of law must be at the core of EU-China relations; calls for the EU to raise these issues and cases systematically in all bilateral and multilateral engagements and strengthen the EU-China Human Rights Dialogue effectively;

7. Urges the Council to urgently adopt sanctions under the EU Global Human Rights Sanctions Regime against Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu and all Hong Kong and Chinese officials responsible for the crackdown on freedoms in Hong Kong;

8. Urges all Member States to suspend extradition treaties with China and to protect persecuted individuals in the EU from the risks of transnational repression;

9. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Member States, the Commission, the VP/HR, the Council, the PRC and the Hong Kong SAR.