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UK Parliament Considers Case-By-Case Extradition Amendment for Hong Kong

Security Minister Dan Jarvis says the amendment formalizes the treaty’s suspension without reinstating extradition cooperation

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Protesters marching on a street during a rally against an extradition law proposal in 2019 in Hong Kong
Anti-government messages during the protest against the Chinese Communist party (CCP) by nearly 30 human rights groups, including Hong Kongers, Tibetans, Uyghurs, Taiwanese, and Chinese allies , at the future site of the new Chinese embassy at Royal Mint Court,in London in Febrary. (Photo by Richard Baker / In Pictures via Getty Images)

Overview

  • The statutory instrument introduced on July 17 removes Hong Kong’s designation under the Extradition Act 2003 and establishes a case-by-case extradition route alongside Zimbabwe and Chile.
  • MPs debated the amendment on July 24 and 25 and are scheduled to vote on the order when Parliament returns after its summer recess.
  • The government argues the change formalizes the 1997 treaty suspension and preserves judicial safeguards to reject politically motivated or human rights–based extradition requests.
  • Opposition figures such as Alicia Kearns and legal expert Hugo Keith KC warn the amendment creates a backdoor that could expose Hong Kong dissidents in the UK to politically driven extraditions.
  • The amendment aligns with Labour’s strategy to reset relations with China for diplomatic and trade engagement, prompting criticism over balancing these goals with human rights commitments.