Paul Harris confirmed that he had left the country this week
(Picture: Denis Chang’s chambers )A leading human rights lawyer has left Hong Kong after being questioned by police amid allegations he had broken the national security law.
Paul Harris, was questioned by police at the Wan Chai headquarters on Tuesday amid allegations that he breached the controversial security law which was introduced in 2020.
Mr Harris represented some of the first citizens to be prosecuted under the new legislation, and according to local media, he was called for questioning and given a warning by Hong Kong police.
The lawyer was forced to step down as chairman of the Bar Association in January after coming under attack from pro-Beijing supporters.
He had also set up the Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor in 2019, which was forced to close last year after state media accused it of working with US spies.
The esteemed Ex-Bar Assoc. chief Paul Harris leaves Hong Kong - as reporters from state-backed press follow him - hours after meeting national security security police. https://t.co/60lH3a0VDq pic.twitter.com/TQIhZaW7Tv
— Tom Grundy (@tomgrundy) March 2, 2022
As reported by Reuters, Mr Harris confirmed he had left the country, saying he was “on way to see my mother in England” after living in Hong Kong for 28 years.
Mr Harris was questioned for two and a half hours and was videoed by pro-Beijing newspaper, Wen Wei Po, in the airport.
Writing last year for the Bar Association, Mr Harris wrote: “I am not against the principle of having national security laws, which most countries have for legitimate reasons.
“But the Hong Kong NSL excludes certain officials from all legal challenge for their actions.”
Mr Harris also represented one of 10 people convicted of the security law for organising and attending unauthorised assemblies during the pro-democracy protests last April.
The security law was introduced on June 30, 2020 and criminalised any act of subversion, terrorism, secession or collusion with any foreign forces.
Even acts such as damaging public transport can be considered as terrorism in the state.
He was jailed for nine years after he had been arrested for driving a motorcycle with a flag reading “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times”, towards three police officers during a demonstration in Wan Chai.
