HK chief Carrie Lam to go forward with extradition bill

Hong Kong: Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam on Monday reaffirmed her backing for a new bill allowing extradition to mainland China that has prompted massive protests, although she said the region’s government would ensure the protection of suspects’ human rights.

Lam said in a press conference that the proposed law would include legally-binding safeguards to prevent the jurisdictions asking for extradition from violating the rights of defendants, but she refused to backpedal her government’s push for the controversial bill, reports Efe news. “The bill wasn’t initiated by Beijing,” Lam said, adding that the proposal was instead born out of her own government’s “clear conscience and commitment to Hong Kong.”

She also vowed that the regional government would provide regular reports of its implementation to the legislative council, as quoted by state broadcaster RTHK. The bill, which was first proposed in February, will undergo a second reading in the legislature on Wednesday. The final vote on it is expected sometime in July. (IANS)

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