Thread by @XinqiSu

#NOW Families of 12 Hong Kong "speedboat fugitives" are meeting press under accompany of lawmakers Eddie Chu, James To and localist activist Owen Chow.

Lawmaker Eddie Chu said families of 6 detainees are present today. They are set to issue a joint statement.

The families raised 4 demands:
1, Reject lawyers assigned by the mainland Chinese authorities. Urge the Chinese authorities to immediately allow lawyers hired by the families to meet the detainees
2, Urge the Chinese authorities to provide proper medicines to detainees in need

3, Urge the Chinese authorities to allow the detainees to call their families
4, Urge the Hong Kong government to make sure the human rights of the detainees are protected and they will be sent back to Hong Kong.

Mother of Lee Tsz-yin said she provided the notary letter required by the mainland authorities but the mainland lawyer she hired was told his son "hired two other lawyers". "We don't have any connection in mainland China. I don't understand why it turns to be like this."

"My son will definitely not do that. He never returned to the mainland. We have no relatives or acquaintance in mainland China," Lee Tsz-yin's mother said.

Her voice shaked when asked how she feels. "I don't know where he is, if he is ok, if he is still alive".

Wife of Wong Wai-yin, speaking in Putonghua, said she tried every official department she could but there is no way to get in touch with her husband or learn about his situation.

"I don't know what to do," she sobbed, "I hope the government can give us some positive response."

"We are just ordinary people. We have no other ways. I can only urge the government be more active. All the departments have simply been kicking us around like a ball and have not provided any concrete response," Wife of Wong Wai-yin said.

Wife of Wong Wai-yin said the mainland officer in charge of Wong's case promised to allow the lawyer she hired to meet her husband. She has prepared the notary letter the authorities asked for but the failures suffered by 2 lawyers make her very worried.

Brother of Tang Kai-yin said Tang suffers asthma and skin conditions. "Every morning he needs to inhale the asthma medicine - on days in bad air condition as well," he said. He called the detention centre but the officer said his identity couldn't be verified and hung up.

Sobbing mother of Tang Kai-yin: "I can't sleep every day since I heard the news. I am very worried, worried about his conditions. I can't sleep....I hope the government can take them back to Hong Kong. At least then we can see them. Now I don't even know if he is still alive."

Derek, a family member of an unnamed detainee, said he received the mainland authorities' notification on 28 Aug and he called on 29 Aug. But officers on that said said there were only two ways, either him going to Shenzhen or contacting via Hong Kong authorities.

Derek, who declined to name his relative among the 12 detainees, said he might eventually have to go to Shenzhen because both authorities in mainland China and Hong Kong have not provided any viable way to contact his family or maker sure the lawyer can have a meeting.

Democratic Party lawmaker James To read a statement from a mother of a minor detainee among the 12, saying that she can't sleep and she cries a lot out of worries, and she hopes her son can call and the lawyer she hired can meet her son in Shenzhen.

Young brother of Tang Kai-yan said Tang seemed very normal before the incident took place. "He would return home when necessary".

The younger Tang welcomed international attention and again urged the authorities to meet their 4 demands when asked about @SecPompeo's comments.

Mother of Lee Tsz-yin said she has no trust in government-assigned lawyers at all. "Should those lawyers be handling my son's case, I believe my son won't tell them anything either."

“I hope the government can tell us what's going on. It seems that they are indifferent. Those are twelve lives. Human lives matter. I dare not to imagine what can happen to him. They are precious to us. The more news I read the more I am scared," Mother of Lee Tsz-yin said.

"I have been having nightmares, in which my husband is shaved, wearing a stubble of untrimmed beard and dressed in prisoners' uniforms...I just hope my husband can return home soon," wife of Wong Wai-yin said.

Father of Cheng Tsz-ho said his son told him he was going fishing. "He was carrying a fishing rod and two buckets and the next thing I knew was that he was arrested. But I don't know anything more. All the things were reported by news media. How about the gov and the police? "

"#CarrieLam said she's mother of HKers. If you are a parent, you will be driven crazy and do whatever you can when your child is lost. But it seems that #CarrieLam doesn't care to even look into this. I don't know how she could call herself a mother," brother of Tang Kai-yin said

Mother of Lee Tsz-yin said her son's behaviours before going missing were normal. "We had meals, chatted and laughed as usual. Nothing abnormal before he went missing," she said. She also said no one has warned her not to making the case high-profile.

Localist Owen Chow urged the international community to not only keep an eye on the 12 detainees but also the mainland Chinese human rights lawyers who have been placed under pressure and threats for representing the detainees and fighting for meetings with them.

Ending the #thread with a line from wife of Wong Wai-yin: "I hope the governments can show us how the 'sunshine governance' work.”