Hong Kong: Protestors circle justice secretary building

ANKARA

Hundreds of demonstrators surrounded on Thursday the office of Hong Kong’s justice official, demanding local authorities to release arrested protesters and complete withdrawal of controversial extradition bill.

More than 200 demonstrators gathered early in the morning at Hong Kong’s Secretary of Justice Teresa Cheng’s office, asked her to meet the crowd and listen their demand, Angeline Chan, a solicitor from Hong Kong-based Progressive Lawyers Group told Anadolu Agency.

The Secretary for Justice is the principal legal adviser to the city's Chief Executive Carrie Lam.

Cheng is also the head of Hong Kong’s Department of Justice, the chief counselor-at-law to the Chief Executive of the city, and also the chief of law enforcement.

On Wednesday, more than a thousand demonstrators marched through embassies of G20 member states handed over a letter urging world leaders for more pressure on Beijing against the proposed bill.

However, India and Indonesia did not accept their letter, according to protesters.

Give a complete withdraw for the now-suspended extradition bill, punish the police officer who used the excessive force against peaceful demonstrators, release the arrested protestors, and resignation of Chief Executive Carrie Lam were the five major demands of protestors.

The city has witnessed massive rallies in recent weeks against a proposed law which protesters believe will allow the government to extradite suspects to mainland China.

Demonstrators and rights groups have also expressed worries that if the law passed it will allow China to take in political prisoners.

A Chinese top diplomat asserted Tuesday that no discussion about the current Hong Kong issue will be put on the table during this week’s G20 summit in Osaka, Japan.

Assistant Foreign Minister Zhang Jun said they will not allow interference in Beijing's internal affairs at the summit, which will gather around three dozens of world leaders to discuss several major world issues in Osaka.

Hong Kong, a key business hub and shoppers' destination, is an autonomous territory of China which governs its foreign and defense policies.