Former chief secretary Anson Chan Fang On-sang is among 1,779 people who have signed a petition calling for jailed journalist Ching Cheong's release on medical parole.
The petition was handed to Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen yesterday by members of the Ching Cheong Incident Concern Group.
The names of all who signed it are published in Ming Pao and Apple Daily today to coincide with a Legislative Council motion debate calling for the journalist's release.
Those who signed the petition include Executive Council and Legislative Council members, current and former civil servants and members of the Election Committee.
Concern group member Mak Chai-ming said he hoped the chief executive could help win Ching's release on medical grounds. It was hoped Mr Tsang could hand the journalist's medical records and a letter of appeal on behalf of his family to leaders when he goes to Beijing on a duty visit this month.
Mr Mak said the health of Ching, a journalist for Singapore's The Straits Times, was failing and he hoped he could be allowed to receive treatment in Guangzhou.
Last month, Beijing Higher People's Court upheld the verdict of a lower court, which in August found Ching, 56, guilty of spying for Taiwan and jailed him for five years.