Hong Kong authorities formally withdraw the unpopular extradition bill that has led to chaos and deaths in the city that wants to remain “semi-autonomous.” The amendment that blew up a city started when Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam attempted to resolve a case where a man was wanted for murder in Taiwan. Because there was no extradition agreement in place, the man could not be sent back for trial.
The murder suspect was freed from prison on Wednesday and told reporters he was willing to “surrender to authorities in Taiwan, where he is wanted for the killing of his girlfriend.” The principle behind the uproar of protests following a bill to address extradition is very serious for the region.
The proposal “stoked widespread fears residents would be put at risk of being sent into mainland China’s Communist Party-controlled judicial system, and Lam was forced to drop the bill in the face of fierce opposition” according to Market Watch.
Additionally, the complications of the case were showcased when Hong Kong and Taiwan feuded over his case: After the suspect offered to return voluntarily, “Taiwan objected to allowing him the freedom to travel and instead offered to send a team to escort him back.” Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council said today that allowing a murder suspect to fly on his own makes Hong Kong complacent in becoming “a criminal paradise where murderers can walk around.”
Continue Reading: Market Watch
