Hong Kong’s security chief has refused to set a deadline for charging around 7,000 protesters arrested during the 2019 social unrest, dismissing fairness concerns over potentially delayed prosecutions, while pledging to pursue some offenders even “after 20 years”.

Security Secretary Chris Tang Ping-keung said Monday that promising such a delay would go against the spirit of the rule of law and could risk “legalizing illegal acts.”

Authorities have received calls from some quarters to conclude the deals, five years after months of anti-government protests that engulfed the city.

“Unless there is a deadline for prosecution, we will file a complaint when we have sufficient evidence and with the agreement of the Department of Justice. This reflects the spirit of the rule of law,” Tang said in an interview.

“I understand that some have suggested that we should drop cases based on a certain time limit, but that would actually legalize illegal acts. I think this is not in line with the spirit of the rule of law. Illegal things are just illegal.

Police said 10,279 people, aged 11 to 87, had been arrested in connection with the 2019 protests, and 2,974 had or were undergoing legal proceedings as of September.