Foreign governments have sent their embassy personnel in a bid to attend a Shenzhen hearing of 12 Hongkongers for allegedly crossing the border illegally and organizing the crossing, but to no avail. Those countries who sent their embassy staff include the United States, the UK, Canada, Portugal, Australia and the Netherlands. According to reports, the embassy staff were still liaising with the Shenzhen court over their sit-in of the hearing after its start at 2.30pm, barred from entering the court. Family members of the 12 Hongkongers earlier issued an open letter to foreign governments, appealed for help in safeguarding the legal rights of the 12. Ten of the so-called "Hong Kong 12" are due in court today at 2.30pm in Shenzhen Yantian People's Court facing charges linked to an illegal border crossing.

Source: The Standard December 28, 2020 07:18 UTC