South China Morning Post: [Group] man's detention reveals alert deal flaws, say activists

The Security Bureau has failed to get information from Beijing about an SAR Falun Gong member allegedly detained on the mainland for a month.

Chan Yuk-to, 34, a Hong Kong permanent resident, is understood to have been arrested on July 12 at his Beijing home and is now being held at the city's Balizhuang Detention Centre in Chaoyan district, according to his relatives.

Beijing's Public Security Ministry is supposed to report cases to Hong Kong police under the notification system agreed by the mainland and SAR governments on January 1.

Cases in remote areas have slipped through the net, but rights groups have expressed dismay that the latest incident was not reported, despite the fact that it apparently took place in Beijing. "It means the notification system is not functioning at all," said human rights activist Ho Hei-wah. "Beijing is setting a bad example with this incident and is violating its own regulations.

"It is a government-to-government deal but Beijing has no respect for it at all," said Mr Ho, director of the Society of Community Organisations.

Ong Yew-kim, Chinese law research fellow at the Chinese University's Hong Kong Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, said: "There should be a time-frame for reporting.

"The Security Bureau should press Beijing to report without delay the arrest, detention or interrogation of an SAR person."

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The bureau was informed of the case by Mr Chan's mother, Lau Yuk-ling, 58, on August 2. Ms Lau held a three-day marathon walk last week, collecting signatures from the public calling for the release of her son.

"We don't know where our son has been since his arrest," said Ms Lau. "How can we not be seriously worried? His life is being threatened every minute. We hope the SAR Government can step forward and fulfil its duty to secure the safety of Hong Kong residents."

Beijing-born Mr Chan moved to Hong Kong in 1991 before going back to the capital to work for a foreign company two years ago. He started practising Falun Gong after settling in Beijing.