#UN rights committee seeks assurances hearing participants from Hong Kong won’t be targeted under security law
//The #UnitedNations #HumanRightsCommittee on Thursday began reviewing Hong Kong’s rights record for the first time since Beijing imposed its #nationalsecuritylaw, amid questions about whether groups making submissions to the meeting could fall foul of the legislation.
Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs #ErickTsang and several other top officials attended the meeting in Geneva via video link. In his opening speech, which lasted just under 20 minutes, Tsang said the government had done much to protect #humanrights in Hong Kong.
He also cited Chinese leader #XiJinping as saying the One Country, Two Systems policy has been working well, adding it was recognised by 1.4 billion Chinese people and the international community...
The UN Committee members, however, were not convinced the security law offered sufficient protections for people’s rights and freedoms.
“I note, honourable secretary, your comment about the events that precipitated this law, but I must observe that it was done overnight, without consultation, and bypassing the local legislature,” the committee’s vice chair Christopher Arif Bulkan said.
Another vice chair, Shuichi Furuya from Japan, expressed concern at the overarching nature and broad scope of the legislation. He said the committee had received reports about organisations overseas being requested by Hong Kong authorities to remove content that may be in violation of it....
The meeting of the committee of 18 international experts will continue on Friday and next Tuesday, while a closing session will take place on July 22, 2022.//
Read the full article:
https://hongkongfp.com/2022/07/07/un-committee-starts-first-review-of-hong-kong-human-rights-since-security-law/
Source: Hong Kong Free Press #Jul7
#NSL #FailedState #UnitedNations
//The #UnitedNations #HumanRightsCommittee on Thursday began reviewing Hong Kong’s rights record for the first time since Beijing imposed its #nationalsecuritylaw, amid questions about whether groups making submissions to the meeting could fall foul of the legislation.
Secretary for Constitutional and Mainland Affairs #ErickTsang and several other top officials attended the meeting in Geneva via video link. In his opening speech, which lasted just under 20 minutes, Tsang said the government had done much to protect #humanrights in Hong Kong.
He also cited Chinese leader #XiJinping as saying the One Country, Two Systems policy has been working well, adding it was recognised by 1.4 billion Chinese people and the international community...
The UN Committee members, however, were not convinced the security law offered sufficient protections for people’s rights and freedoms.
“I note, honourable secretary, your comment about the events that precipitated this law, but I must observe that it was done overnight, without consultation, and bypassing the local legislature,” the committee’s vice chair Christopher Arif Bulkan said.
Another vice chair, Shuichi Furuya from Japan, expressed concern at the overarching nature and broad scope of the legislation. He said the committee had received reports about organisations overseas being requested by Hong Kong authorities to remove content that may be in violation of it....
The meeting of the committee of 18 international experts will continue on Friday and next Tuesday, while a closing session will take place on July 22, 2022.//
Read the full article:
https://hongkongfp.com/2022/07/07/un-committee-starts-first-review-of-hong-kong-human-rights-since-security-law/
Source: Hong Kong Free Press #Jul7
#NSL #FailedState #UnitedNations
Hong Kong Free Press HKFP
UN rights committee seeks assurances hearing participants from Hong Kong won’t be targeted under security law
The United Nations Human Rights Committee on Thursday began reviewing Hong Kong’s rights record for the first time since Beijing imposed its national security law, amid questions about whether groups making submissions to the meeting could fall foul of the…
British lawyers defending Hong Kong pro-democracy tycoon Jimmy Lai say they have received threats
Source: Reuters #Jul7
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Source: Reuters #Jul7
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British lawyers defending Hong Kong pro-democracy tycoon Jimmy Lai say they have received threats
//Barristers from a British law firm who are representing jailed Hong Kong tycoon and democracy campaigner #JimmyLai said on July 7, 2022 they had received anonymous e-mails warning them against travelling to the city to defend him.
Lai is among the most prominent people in Hong Kong to be charged under a #National SecurityLaw that Beijing imposed in June 2020 to punish terrorism, collusion with foreign forces, subversion and secession with possible life imprisonment.
The barristers - Caoilfhionn Gallagher, Jonathan Price and Jennifer Robinson from Doughty Street Chambers - told Reuters the messages came from a generic Gmail address.
"A person that refuses to abide by the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region could be extradited...from other jurisdictions. Foreign nationals will be charged with the offences of subversion," one of the e-mails said. "You have been warned not to attempt entry or land in Chinese territory."
The barristers declined to say if they would be travelling to Hong Kong for the trial.
"Threatening journalists, campaigners and lawyers within Hong Kong has been happening for some time," the barristers said in an e-mail.
"Now these intimidatory tactics are spreading outside the borders of China and Hong Kong."
Police said in a statement they were concerned about the media reports and "strongly condemn the act of impersonating police officers". They appealed to those concerned to provide further information.
The government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether the barristers would be allowed to enter Hong Kong.
Baroness Helena Kennedy, Director of the International Bar Association's Institute of Fundamental Rights, condemned what she said was an act of intimidation.
"Intimidating the lawyers who act for citizens pursuing freedom and democracy is the tactic of an authoritarian regime," she said.
"Jimmy Lai's right to instruct international lawyers of his choice is fundamental to a fair trial. The Hong Kong authorities seem to have abandoned the values which underpin the rule of law."//
Source: Reuters #Jul7
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/british-lawyers-defending-hong-kong-tycoon-say-they-receive-threats-2022-07-07/
#PoliceState #CCP #Intimidation #FairTrial #Lawyer #Court #AppleDaily #NextMedia
//Barristers from a British law firm who are representing jailed Hong Kong tycoon and democracy campaigner #JimmyLai said on July 7, 2022 they had received anonymous e-mails warning them against travelling to the city to defend him.
Lai is among the most prominent people in Hong Kong to be charged under a #National SecurityLaw that Beijing imposed in June 2020 to punish terrorism, collusion with foreign forces, subversion and secession with possible life imprisonment.
The barristers - Caoilfhionn Gallagher, Jonathan Price and Jennifer Robinson from Doughty Street Chambers - told Reuters the messages came from a generic Gmail address.
"A person that refuses to abide by the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region could be extradited...from other jurisdictions. Foreign nationals will be charged with the offences of subversion," one of the e-mails said. "You have been warned not to attempt entry or land in Chinese territory."
The barristers declined to say if they would be travelling to Hong Kong for the trial.
"Threatening journalists, campaigners and lawyers within Hong Kong has been happening for some time," the barristers said in an e-mail.
"Now these intimidatory tactics are spreading outside the borders of China and Hong Kong."
Police said in a statement they were concerned about the media reports and "strongly condemn the act of impersonating police officers". They appealed to those concerned to provide further information.
The government did not immediately respond to a request for comment on whether the barristers would be allowed to enter Hong Kong.
Baroness Helena Kennedy, Director of the International Bar Association's Institute of Fundamental Rights, condemned what she said was an act of intimidation.
"Intimidating the lawyers who act for citizens pursuing freedom and democracy is the tactic of an authoritarian regime," she said.
"Jimmy Lai's right to instruct international lawyers of his choice is fundamental to a fair trial. The Hong Kong authorities seem to have abandoned the values which underpin the rule of law."//
Source: Reuters #Jul7
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/british-lawyers-defending-hong-kong-tycoon-say-they-receive-threats-2022-07-07/
#PoliceState #CCP #Intimidation #FairTrial #Lawyer #Court #AppleDaily #NextMedia
Reuters
Lawyers defending Hong Kong tycoon say they have received threats
Barristers from a British law firm who are representing jailed Hong Kong tycoon and democracy campaigner Jimmy Lai said on Thursday they had received anonymous e-mails warning them against travelling to the city to defend him.