British Foreign Secretary David Lammy expressed deep concern after a British MP was denied entry to Hong Kong. Lammy said he would raise the issue with Chinese authorities to seek an explanation, Agence France-Presse reports, BTA reports.
This week, Vera Hobhouse, an MP from the small opposition Liberal Democrats party, revealed that she was the first member of the British parliament to be denied a visit to Hong Kong since the former British colony's return to China in 1997.
Hobhouse is a member of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance for China, an organization that brings together parliamentarians from different countries working to defend democracy and human rights, with particular attention paid to human rights threats emanating from Beijing, according to AFP.
The Sunday Times reported that the 65-year-old MP traveled to Hong Kong on Thursday to visit her newborn grandson. According to the publication, her passport was confiscated, she was questioned about the purpose of her trip, and her luggage was searched.
“I am the first MP to be denied entry to Hong Kong since 1997. The authorities have given me no explanation“, Hobhouse shared on the social network “Bluesky“.
Since 2017, Hobhouse has been an MP for the “Liberal Democrats“.
In his statement, Foreign Secretary David Lammy said: “It is deeply disturbing that a member of parliament travelling for personal reasons is being denied access to Hong Kong. We will urgently raise the matter with the Hong Kong and Beijing authorities to seek an explanation“.
He added: “It is unacceptable for a member of parliament to be prevented from entering the country simply because of the views he has expressed. Unjustified restrictions on freedom of movement could damage Hong Kong's international reputation.“