Media release Joint statement:
Hongkongers, Burmese, Uyghurs, Tibetans, Thais, Vietnamese and more united to advertise and further push for Magnitsky Act in Australia
22nd March 2021
A report recommending the enactment of Magnitsky-styled sanctions in Australia was issued in December 2020 by the Senate’s Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Trade and Defence. As parliament rules require the government to respond to committees’ recommendations within three months of a report’s publication, a response is due by the end of this month, March 2021. It is understood that there is yet to be a legislative timeline for the act, even though cases of human rights violation and crimes against humanity are increasing in both frequency and severity across the world, especially in Myanmar, East Turkistan (XinJiang), Hong Kong, Thailand and Tibet.
Magnitsky-styled laws have proven to be one of the best ways of dealing with human rights abusers and corruption as they provide the ability to implement targeted sanctions and pursue individual perpetrators while leaving the populations alone. Their strength is predicated on its collective enforcement that blocks human rights offenders and their authoritarian regimes from abusing the global system. Furthermore, with Australia’s allies, including the UK, the US, Canada and the European Union, already passed such laws, Australia risks exploitation by human rights violators as their migration destination of choice, where they could be free from the consequences of their actions. It has already been made known that several of the individuals, and their families, involved in gross human rights violation in Hong Kong and China do in fact have properties and investments, or even reside in Australia, from which they are taking advantage and growing their wealth. Given these individuals’ affiliation with foreign governments that have committed questionable actions against the people under their rule, this raises also a serious concern in Australia’s national security.
To further pressure the government into action, we the undersigned NGOs and groups representing people suffered from human rights abuses and crimes against humanity, including Burmese, Thai, Uyghur, Tibetans, Hongkongers, Cambodians and Chinese, have collaborated in the publication of an advertisement in The Australian today, 22nd March, ahead of the government’s impending response, demanding that the Australian Government respond in favour of the legislation of an Australian Magnitsky-styled sanction act. It is our collective goal and hope that this effort will effectively bring further media and public pressure upon the Australian government in realising the importance and urgency of Magnitsky Act’s enactment to both Australia and our people. Many of us have fought against injustice for too long, with our oppressors and perpetrators free from the consequences of their misconducts and crimes. We must not allow them free access to their victims in Australia, where human rights and universal values must remain treasured and safeguarded.
We will stand together until the day our peoples are finally free and vindicated for their sufferings, when justice prevails at long last.
Co-signed by:
Inter-denominational:
- The Australian and New Zealand Alliance for Victims of the Chinese Communist Regime
- Falun Dafa Association of Australia Inc.
- Human Rights Relief Foundation (HRRF)
- The International Youth Movement for Human Rights
- The Australian Values Alliance
Myanmar:
- Myanmar Students’ Association Australia
Thailand:
- The Australian Alliance for Thai Democracy
Vietnam:
- The Alliance for Democracy in Vietnam
- Our Vietnam
- Tan Dai Viet Party - Viet Liberty
- The Vietnam League of Ex-Prisoners of Conscience & Victims of Communism in Australia Inc (NSW Chapter)
- Vietnamese Australian Lawyers’ Association (VALA)
- The Vietnamese Australian Literature Art Association
- Vietnamese Community in Australia NSW Chapter
- Vietnamese Community in Australia VIC Chapter
- Vietnamese Women’s Association in NSW
- VOICE Australia
China:
- Chinese Alliance for Democracy
- Chinese Democracy Movement Alliance in Australia (Melbourne)
- Federation for a Democratic China
- New Zealand Democracy Platform
- Sydney Network for Democracy in China (SN4DC)
- Qi’s Cultural Foundation
East Turkistan:
- Australian Uyghur Association
- Uyghur Association of Victoria
Tibet:
- Australian Tibetan Community Association National
- Australia Tibet Council
Hong Kong:
- Adelaide– Stand with Hong Kong
- Australia-Hong Kong Link
- Brisbane-International Student Solidarity with Hong Kong (BISSHK)
- Canberra-Hong Kong Concern
- Hong Kong International Alliance Brisbane
- Perth – Anti-CCP Association
- Victoria-Hongkongers Association (Australia)
Cambodia:
- Cambodian Action Group
