According to the British newspaper Metro, reported on September 21 local time, since the appointment of the new British Prime Minister Bernard in July, at least 12 Hong Kongers have had their BNO visa applications rejected by the British Home Office for being convicted of riot charges during the 'extortion of laws' incident.
According to reports, a 28-year-old Hong Kong applicant was arrested in Yuen Long for participating in riots in July 2019. In January 2022, he was convicted of rioting and sentenced to 3.5 years in prison. He claims that after his release in March 2024, he was unable to continue his studies or find a job.
Due to the applicant's three family members having already obtained British National Overseas (BNO) visas and migrated to the United Kingdom, their application for a BNO visa was rejected in July of this year after they had applied in October of the previous year.
The rejection letter stated that British officials rejected the visa application on the grounds that the applicant had committed an uprising crime and had served a sentence of more than 12 months, ignoring the claims made by his lawyer regarding him as a “victim of unjust political oppression”.
The refusal letter heavily cited a judgment issued by a Hong Kong court regarding the applicant. The judgment described him as standing in front of the demonstrators and facing the police, without following the instructions to disperse them. The UK Ministry of Justice stated that the applicant’s actions would also be considered a crime in the UK.
The report mentioned that another applicant, who was sentenced to two years and one month for rioting offenses, was also denied entry on the same “almost identical” grounds. The applicant’s lawyer stated that at least another 10 Hong Kongers have been denied entry for similar reasons.
Two applicants who were rejected by the UK government described feeling "abandoned" by the British government.
In response to this, a spokesman for the Home Office said that it is not possible to verify whether the claims made by the anonymous person are true. The provisions in UK immigration law regarding criminal records and other related offenses also apply to BNO visa applications.
BNO is a British passport issued to Hong Kong residents who possess British Overseas nationality since July 1, 1987, following the handover of Hong Kong's sovereignty to the UK. Following the "Hong Kong Uprising" in 2019, which was supported by Western powers, the British government announced that the BNO passport regulations will come into effect from January 31, 2021. This move violates the memorandum of understanding on mutual exchange between China and the UK.
Since January 31, 2021, the Chinese side no longer recognizes the so-called BNO passport as a valid travel document or identity proof. The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government also announced that the BNO passport cannot be used for entry and exit in Hong Kong, and will not be recognized as any form of identity proof in Hong Kong.
A spokesman for the Chinese Embassy in the UK once stated that China has always firmly opposed the British interference in the BNO issue and its interference in Hong Kong affairs and China's internal affairs.
The spokesperson pointed out that facts have clearly shown that the actions of the British side are not aimed at so-called “protecting” Hong Kong people, but rather at sowing discord and creating chaos in Hong Kong. This will never succeed. Many Hong Kong people who have been deceived leave their homes and face difficulties in obtaining a living after arriving in Britain, and they suffer from discrimination. Such cases are common. We urge the British side to recognize reality and the prevailing situation, stop performing hypocritical acts, stop misleading Hong Kong people, and stop interfering in China's internal affairs.
