Hong Kong urged to widen scope on repatriation of foreign prisoners

The Hong Kong government should negotiate agreements with more countries to repatriate foreign prisoners, a human rights organisation has urged.

The Society for Community Organisation (Soco), a non-profit human rights organisation, has asked the Hong Kong government to be more proactive in negotiating the transfer of foreign national inmates to their own countries.

It says inmates face difficulties in Hong Kong prisons and experience problems reintegrating into society once they are deported to their home countries.

“It would be easier to integrate into society if you have contact with your family and if you are in your own country, and the likelihood of reoffending is much lower,” said Annie Lin, community organiser of Soco, adding that foreign inmates find it more difficult to get used to prison life because of cultural differences.

“It’s really difficult to stay in a Hong Kong prison because of the culture difference and the language is different, the food is different … everything is different,” Lin said.

Currently, there are more than 1,000 foreign nationals serving sentences in Hong Kong prisons out of a total prison population of about 7,000.

Hong Kong already has agreements with 13 countries to transfer prisoners under the Transfer of Sentenced Persons convention. Hongkongers who are serving sentences in a foreign country can also benefit from the agreement, Lin said.