By LiCAS.news reporter
Hong Kong: Chinese officials have warned the mainland lawyers of the so-called Hong Kong 12 that their licenses to practice might be revoked.
The lawyers, Lu Siwei and Ren Quanniu, were barred from representing their clients arrested last August who were forced to take government-appointed lawyers.
The legal system in mainland China is controlled by the ruling Communist Party.
Ten of the Hong Kong 12 were sentenced on December 30, 2020, at a court in the southern city of Shenzhen after being been detained in mainland China since attempting to leave Hong Kong by speedboat in August.
Two of the activists were sentenced to two-and three-year imprisonment. The eight others were sentenced to seven months. Two of the Hong Kong 12 were under 18 at the time of their arrest and were handed over to the Hong Kong police on December 30.
Media reports said most of those on board the vessel fleeing to Taiwan were already facing charges linked to the huge pro-democracy protests that swept Hong Kong last year.
Family members and supporters of the Hong Kong activists said the threats against the lawyers were the result of their “daring to go against the powers that be.”
“Lawyers Lu Siwei and Ren Quanniu, who have been helping the case of the 12 Hong Kong youths, have both received notices of proposed revocation of their lawyer licenses on Jan.4, 2021 and 31 Dec. 31, 2020 respectively,” the families and supporters said in a statement.
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