
Germany said Friday it was suspending its extradition treaty with Hong Kong over the former British colony's decision to push back local elections by a year.
"The Hong Kong government's decision to disqualify a dozen opposition candidates for the election and to postpone the elections ... is a further encroachment on the rights of Hong Kong citizens," Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in a statement.
"Given the current developments, we have decided to suspend the extradition treaty with Hong Kong."
Canada, Britain, Australia andNew Zealand who are a part of the "Five Eyes" intelligence alliance have taken similar action. The United States has given a hint of doing the same in the coming weeks.
This move comes in protest against the new security law imposed by China on the semi-autonomous region.
Critics view this new security law as an erosion of civil liberties and human rights in the financial hub, which has been semi-autonomous from China since its handover from Britain in 1997.