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Reuters
Chan Tong-kai says he is now willing to face charges in Taiwan
Hong Kong has released the murder suspect whose case led to plans to change extradition rules which then triggered the city’s mass protests.
Chan Tong-kai is accused of murdering his pregnant girlfriend in Taiwan last year before fleeing back to Hong Kong.
But Hong Kong and Taiwan do not have an extradition treaty, and his case was cited when the government proposed amending the law.
He was in jail for money laundering for withdrawing money from her credit card.
Leaving prison on Wednesday, the 20-year old apologised to the victim’s family and said that he was willing to turn himself in to Taiwanese police to face charges.
The proposed bill would have allowed for Hong Kong to extradite criminal suspects to places it doesn’t have an extradition treaty with, including mainland China, Taiwan and Macau.
Critics of the planned law feared that extradition to mainland China could subject people to arbitrary detention and unfair trials.
The controversial bill is expected to be formally withdrawn on Wednesday at its second reading in parliament.
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AFP
Last week’s parliament session was cut short amid chaotic scenes
After the bill sparked city-wide protests, the government announced in July that it would suspend the bill.
The formal withdrawal could only take place after parliament resumed in October.
Last week, parliament proceedings were interrupted when opposition lawmakers heckled Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam.
Although the Hong Kong protests started over the extradition bill, they have since widened to call for full democracy and less interference from Beijing.