In the most recent urgent action letter, the TRU Students’ Union wrote to Commissioner Wong Kwok-hing, Commissioner of Correctional Services in Hong Kong, urging an immediate end to the use of prolonged solitary confinement and calling for the safe release of imprisoned activists Chow Hang-tung, Jimmy Lai, Owen Chow, and others detained for the peaceful exercise of their human rights.
“Writing this letter is a way of refusing to stay silent when people’s rights are being taken away,” said Ximena Maldonado, TRUSU Equity Committee member. “It’s about recognizing that advocacy doesn’t stop at our campus and that our voices can be part of something bigger.”
Chow Hang-tung, Jimmy Lai, Owen Chow, and other activists remain detained in Hong Kong correctional facilities, where they have been subjected to prolonged solitary confinement. This practice, particularly when used as punishment or without due process, violates international human rights standards and may amount to cruel, inhuman, or degrading treatment under the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (the Nelson Mandela Rules). Their detention is directly linked to the peaceful exercise of their rights to freedom of expression and assembly.
These cases reflect a broader pattern of repression in Hong Kong, where national security laws have increasingly been used to silence dissent and restrict civic space. The use of prolonged solitary confinement against individuals for peaceful activism not only impacts those detained, but also sends a wider message that discourages public participation and undermines fundamental freedoms. When people are punished for speaking out, it weakens the protections that allow communities everywhere to advocate for change.
“When people are isolated and punished for speaking up, it shows how fragile those rights can become,” said Maldonado. “No one should be subjected to those conditions for simply expressing their beliefs or standing up for their community.”
We urged authorities to take immediate action to end the use of prolonged solitary confinement and uphold the rights and dignity of those detained.
We await a response from the Commissioner of Correctional Services on this urgent matter.
For more Information
The Amnesty Urgent Actions Program allows the Union to take action regarding international human rights injustices that matter to students. Click this link to see injustices we have addressed previously, and for further information about this issue or to see a copy of the letter, contact the Equity Coordinator below.