24/09/2020 (Agence Europe) – The spokeswoman for the European External Action Service said on Thursday 24 September that the arrest of Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong earlier in the day was “the latest in a troubling series of arrests of pro-democracy activists since the summer. These arrests warrant very careful scrutiny by the independent judiciary”, she argued in a statement. Mr Wong, arrested for participating in an “illegal gathering” in October 2019, was released a few hours later. The EEAS spokesperson recalled that an independent judiciary, operating free from political influence and consideration, was a cornerstone of Hong Kong’s autonomy under the principle of ‘one country, two systems’ and was protected by the Basic Law. Developments in Hong Kong call into question China’s willingness to meet its international commitments, she said. (CG)