A former Hong Kong opposition leader has reportedly been denied entry to the United Kingdom and faces deportation back to the city after seeking residence using his British National (Overseas) passport, according to local media.
The Times reported on Thursday that Wu Chi-wai, who was released from a Hong Kong prison in late June after serving a sentence in a landmark subversion case, had been refused entry and told he would be deported, citing his friends.
The move appears to contrast with the UK’s treatment of other Hong Kong activists wanted by police, including former lawmaker Nathan Law Kwun-chung, student activist Tony Chung Hon-lam and former British consulate staffer Simon Cheng Man-kit, all of whom have been allowed to settle in the country.
According to the report, Wu – a former chairman of the Democratic Party and legislator – arrived in the UK seeking asylum with a BN(O) passport but was told by an immigration officer that his passport would be confiscated and that he would be sent back to Hong Kong.
Former Hong Kong Bar Association chairman Paul Harris said he was aware of Wu’s case and confirmed that Wu had been stopped at Heathrow Airport.
“The immigration officer told him his passport would be confiscated and that he would be deported to Hong Kong within seven days,” Harris was quoted as saying.
Under the dedicated visa scheme, eligible BN(O) passport holders from Hong Kong can live, work and study in the UK, with a pathway to full citizenship after five years.