Four United Nations (UN) human rights experts issued a joint statement on 9 October, expressing concern about the Hong Kong government’s ongoing trials, arrests and wanted persons under the National Security Law of Hong Kong (NSL).
The UN human rights experts have repeatedly expressed concern about the NSL in the past, pointing out that at least 100 people have been arrested on suspicion of violating the NSL since it came into force, and the first mass trial under the NSL was the case of 47 people in relation to the 2020 primaries, in which the arrested people included former legislators, social workers, legal academics, and journalists, who organised or participated in the primaries. They expressed grave concern about the use of mass trials in NSL cases and how they may negatively affect safeguards that ensure due process and the right to fair trial.
United Nations human rights experts were also concerned that in July 2023, the Hong Kong government issued arrest warrants and placed bounties against eight Hong Kong human rights defenders in self-exile, based in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. All are accused of violating the NSL while in exile. The experts were of the view that the charges appear to seek to punish statements allegedly made by each individual criticising the Chinese government’s policies and their activities in support of democracy in Hong Kong. They urge China should review the NSL to ensure that the law is in compliance with China’s international human rights obligations with respect to the Hong Kong SAR.
Hong Kong Centre for Human Rights (“The Centre”) urges the Hong Kong government to fulfil its obligations under international human rights law and to follow the recommendations of the United Nations Human Rights Committee on human rights issues in Hong Kong, including to stop the use of the NSL and the offence of sedition for prosecution and arrest, repeal the current NSL, and to ensure that any new legislation is fully compliant with human rights protections in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
The four UN experts expressed serious concerns about the arrest warrants and bounties placed by Hong Kong government under the NSL for the human rights defenders’ peaceful exercises of their freedom of speech. This indicates that the experts find such enforcement of the NSL by the Hong Kong Government to be in violation of international human rights standards applicable to Hong Kong.
The Centre believes that the statement of the UN experts reflects that the Hong Kong government’s persistent abuse of the law to suppress human rights is of great concern to the international community. The mass trial and bounties placed against human rights defenders have further tarnish Hong Kong’s international image, causing Hong Kong to be boycotted by the international community that supports the rule of law, democracy and human rights.
Press release issued by UN human rights experts on 9 October:
– End –