Hong Kong revokes work visa of He Jiankui, mainland Chinese scientist who made first gene-edited babies and was imprisoned for malpractice
- Immigration Department pulls visa after suspicions Chinese scientist – who was jailed after gene-editing babies to be resistant to HIV – lied on application
- City’s labour chief says changes to top talent scheme policy have been made after concerns were listened to
A Top Talent Pass Scheme scientist who served a prison sentence for medical malpractice had his Hong Kong work visa revoked late on Tuesday night after immigration officials said they suspected he had lied on his application form.
The department said it was suspected that false statements had been made by He Jiankui, a controversial biophysicist who was jailed after creating the world’s first gene-edited babies, to obtain the permit.
“The director of immigration has declared that the visa or the entry permit has been revoked and a follow-up criminal investigation will be conducted,” a spokesman confirmed.
“The Immigration Department stresses that applicants should provide accurate, complete and truthful information when submitting their applications.”
The spokesman added that anyone who “knowingly and deliberately declares false information” could face prosecution.
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Chinese scientist He Jiankui involved in gene-edited babies jailed for three years
The department, which announced the visa had been pulled just before midnight, earlier said it would tighten up the application process from Wednesday and insist applications contained a declaration of any criminal convictions.
