Hong Kong

Human Rights - Torture

Extradition

The overthrow of the Gaddafi regime in Libya seems to be causing some unexpected troubles for Hong Kong, as CIA documents discovered in the abandoned office of Gaddafi's intelligence chief showed that, in March 2004, Sami al-Saadi, a member of an anti-Gaddafi group with links to al-Qaeda, was said to be tricked by the British MI6 agents to travel to Hong Kong from Guangzhou and arrested on passport charges at Chek Lap Kok Airport. He and his family were later put on an Egyptian plane to be sent to Tripoli where he was allegedly tortured and detained for 6 years. The Chinese Foreign Ministry stated that "Hong Kong has the full authority and discretion to grant permission to people to enter or leave the city", but, while the Hong Kong Government reportedly had asked for assurances that Saadi would be humanely treated once back in Libya, the rendition did not appear to follow the normal deportation or extradition procedure and might have violated Hong Kong's obligations under human rights treaties. Later, Saadi sued the British Government, saying that the Hong Kong authorities "were made to know about the dirty business that was going on and went along with it,"