23/09/2026
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🇬🇧🚨 : Home Office must stop using politically motivated Hong Kong convictions to reject BN(O) visas
Hong Kong's "riot" charges have been widely used against peaceful dissidents. It also runs against the purpose of the BN(O) scheme itself, created to offer refuge from exactly this kind of political persecution. We must demand an urgent review of these refusals and clear guidance to disregard non-violent, protest-related, politically motivated charges.
✍️ Write to your MP. Demand action now !
緊急：反對用政治動機嘅香港定罪，拒絕 BN(O) 簽證！
根據英國媒體《Metro》調查（2026年9月21日）：英國 Home Office 以示威相關判刑去拒簽證。事實係所謂『暴動』之類嘅刑事罪行，喺用以對付和平抗爭者。英國內政部絕對唔應該用此作為拒絕BN(O）計劃嘅證據，而且計劃本身係想協助香港人逃離政治迫害嘅。
立即行動，寫信俾你嘅ＭＰ
Find your MP
https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP
The Metro
https://metro.co.uk/2026/09/21/we-promised-escape-uk-betrayed-us-denying-visas-29630994/
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Subject: URGENT: Home Office using politically motivated Hong Kong convictions to reject BN(O) visas
Dear [MP's Full Name] MP,
Re: Protection for Hong Kong Democracy Activists and BN(O) Visa Refusals
I am writing to you as your constituent residing at [Your UK Address and Postcode].
I am deeply concerned by an exclusive investigation published by Metro ("'We were promised escape to UK – but they've betrayed us by denying our visas'", 21 September 2026), which reveals that the Home Office is actively rejecting BN(O) visa applications from Hong Kong pro-democracy activists by accepting convictions from Hong Kong’s politically controlled courts at face value.
According to the report, at least 10 democracy activists have recently been denied entry. In the reported cases of "John" and "Edward", both were convicted of "riot" for participating in 2019 pro-democracy demonstrations. Crucially, the Home Office refusal letters explicitly acknowledged that neither applicant was witnessed committing any violent actions. Nevertheless, caseworkers quoted extensively from Hong Kong court judgments to reject their visas on general character grounds.
This approach is fundamentally flawed and contradictory for several reasons:
1. Misapplication of Immigration Rules: Under UK immigration law, foreign convictions resulting in sentences over 12 months should not trigger automatic refusal if the act would not be considered criminal in the UK. Hong Kong’s "riot" charges have been weaponised against peaceful dissidents.
2. Breach of Policy Intent: The BN(O) scheme was established to provide refuge for Hong Kongers fleeing oppression. As former Home Secretary Priti Patel MP noted, taking Beijing-backed convictions at face value undermines the core purpose of this policy.
3. Widespread Cross-Party and NGO Alarm: Leaders of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Hong Kong, including Chair Emily Darlington MP and Vice-Chair Bobby Dean MP, alongside civil society organisations like The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation (CFHK), have raised serious concerns. As CFHK noted, "Britain must stop treating political dissent as a crime."
By endorsing Beijing-backed court rulings against non-violent activists, the Home Office is effectively aiding political persecution and leaving vulnerable activists in danger of further retribution.
As my representative in Parliament, I kindly ask you to urgently:
1. Write to the Home Secretary to request an immediate review of all recent BN(O) visa rejections that rely on protest-related convictions from Hong Kong.
2. Press the Home Office to issue clear statutory guidance instructing caseworkers to disregard non-violent protest-related convictions and politically motivated charges from Hong Kong courts when evaluating BN(O) visa applications.
3. Raise this issue in Parliament or submit Written Parliamentary Questions (PQs) to ensure the UK Government upholds its commitment to protecting Hong Kong freedom fighters.
Thank you very much for your time, leadership, and attention to this vital human rights issue. I look forward to hearing your response on how you intend to address this critical matter.
Yours sincerely,
[Your Full Name]
[Your UK Address]
[Your Postcode]
