Families of the 12 Hongkongers held on the mainland, released balloon messages near the city's border with Shenzhen, to call for their relatives' safe return.
Some say they've been contacted by lawyers appointed to represent the detainees - but say there's no way to verify their identity.
Scroll down for the full script.
(Aired on ViuTVSix on 21 November 2020)
Full Script:
For the families of 12 Hongkongers, detained in Shenzhen this is as close as they can get to seeing them.
Climbing a hilltop on the northeastern island of Kat O, that overlooks, across the sea to Yantian.
That's where their loved ones have been held for three months.
(Soundbite, WONG WAI-YIN'S MOTHER)
"I want to be closer to my son. But I can see through my binoculars, there's many buildings between us. Even if I scream until my voice cracks, I don't think he (Wong) will hear me."
Chanting "release the twelve," the family members let go of balloons with messages to the detainees.
Some families received handwritten letters the past week, purportedly written by the Hongkongers.
This father said he was overjoyed - as it means his son is still alive.
But lawyers appointed by the families have been barred from meeting the detainees and to defend them against charges of illegal border crossing.
Instead, they've been told the 12 picked their own lawyers - from a list provided by Chinese authorities.
This week, some relatives got calls or messages from people who claimed to be those legal representatives.
(Soundbite, LI TSZ YIN'S MOTHER)
"The lawyer said my son appointed him, and they've seen each other twice. I said, 'I don't know if you're a lawyer, take a picture of your practising licence and send it to me.' He said he can't do that, because of privacy."
The 12 were picked up in August, after mainland authorities intercepted their alleged escape to Taiwan from Hong Kong.
According to mainland law, the investigation period in criminal cases is capped at two months.
Which means, by the end of this month, mainland authorities will need to decide whether to move ahead prosecuting them, or detain them even longer.
- ENDS -