The European Parliament on Thursday urged EU member states to impose sanctions on Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam and seven other senior officials, accusing them of an "ongoing human rights crackdown" in the territory.

The appeal was approved in a non-binding resolution by a majority of 585 EU lawmakers in favor and 46 against.

Sanctions by the bloc must be agreed upon with unanimity by the EU's 27 member states. So far, there has not been a consensus over Hong Kong.

According to the resolution, the parliament "condemns in the strongest terms the fact that freedom of expression, freedom of association, and freedom of the press are as severely restricted in Hong Kong as they are in China," as the West once again accuses China of violating human rights and suppressing freedoms.

Lawmakers deplored the alleged "political persecution to which many journalists who are now in exile or in prison have been subjected."

The top officials to be sanctioned are Carrie Lam, Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah, Xia Baolong, Zhang Xiaoming, Luo Huining, Zheng Yanxiong, Chris Tang Ping-Keung, and John Lee Ka-Chiu, and the EU is sanctioning them under the pretext of "human rights violations."

Xia Baolong, Zang Xiaoming, Luo Huining, and Zeng Yanxiong are high-ranking members of the Chinese Communist Party running the central government's liaison office in Hong Kong and a state security agency for the territory.

The EU is also planning on sanctioning companies, also under the pretext of "complicity" in the "ongoing human rights crackdown in Hong Kong."

The punitive measures will include sanctions and investment bans.

The legislators also called on the EU to review its "support for Hong Kong's seat at the World Trade Organization" and an agreement reached with Hong Kong over customs cooperation.