Inkstone reader questions

If you've broken Chinese law, such as spreading harmful rumors, can you be extradited to mainland China from Hong Kong?

Theoretically, no. Under the current proposal, Hong Kong will only extradite a suspect wanted in mainland China if the crime is serious (punishable by imprisonment of at least seven years) and if it exists in the laws of both Hong Kong and mainland China. While people have been imprisoned in the mainland over their speech, the sentences have rarely exceeded seven years. The Hong Kong government has also explicitly said that the proposed extradition plan doesn't cover political charges.

In practice, however, given the political nature of mainland China’s legal system, the protesters took to the street in part because they simply did not trust the Hong Kong government or Beijing.

Is there a portion of Hong Kong society that would like the law to proceed, and if so, why?

People in support of the law exist, but they’re in the minority. According to a recent survey by Hong Kong University, 17% of the 1,002 respondents were supportive of extraditing Hong Kong people to mainland China for trials. (66% of them were opposed.)

Supporters of the bill generally believe, as the Hong Kong government has claimed, the law will facilitate the extradition of fugitives to over 100 countries to face justice. Hong Kong currently has extradition treaties with 20 jurisdictions.

Thanks for the questions, Luke!

Explained: Hong Kong’s plan to extradite people to China