Hong Kong National Security Law: Joint Statement by 39 Nations Urges China to Protect Hong Kong’s Autonomy, Claudia Mo Says the Law Obviously "Went Too Far"
On Tuesday (Oct 6), Germany delivered a joint statement on behalf of 39 countries, including the US, the UK and France, at the Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, raising their deep concerns over China’s human rights records and the erosion of freedom in Hong Kong. The signatories of the statement rose from 23 countries to 39 this year, which Human Rights Watch welcomed. A Hong Kong Legco member opined that the statement reflected that the CCP’s forced implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong seriously trampled the universal values of democratic countries. The Hong Kong government’s direct denial of the separation of power earlier also prompted democratic countries to re-evaluate Hong Kong’s status as an international society.
Christoph Heusgen, Permanent Representative of Germany to the UN, issued a joint statement on behalf of allies during the 75th UN General Assembly Third Committee General Debate, a session dedicated to social, humanitarian and cultural issues. The countries expressed deep concerns over the Hong Kong national security law. They also called on Beijing to protect the autonomy, rights and freedoms in Hong Kong and to respect the independence of the Hong Kong judiciary. In the statement, the countries raised concerns over China’s establishment of “re-education camps” in Xinjiang and suppression of Uyghur Muslim minorities as well. It pointed out that “Widespread surveillance disproportionately continues to target Uyghurs and other minorities and more reports are emerging of forced labour and forced birth control including sterilization”, and urged Beijing to “allow immediate, meaningful and unfettered access to Xinjiang for independent observers”.
The signatories include Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Nauru, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, the US and Germany. Former Permanent Representative of the UK to the UN Karen Pierce issued a similar statement on behalf of 23 countries at the Third Committee in the previous year. The signatories rose to 39 countries this year, which was welcomed by human rights organisations. Louis Charbonneau, the United Nations director at Human Rights Watch, said, “The 39 states took a stand despite China’s persistent threats and intimidation tactics against those who speak out.”
Source: Apple Daily #Oct07
#China #HongKong #Xinjiang #Germany #UN #UnitedNations #JointStatement #HumanRights #Uyghurs #HumanRightsWatch #NationalSecurityLaw #GeneralAssembly #ThirdCommittee
https://bit.ly/3dIslXe
On Tuesday (Oct 6), Germany delivered a joint statement on behalf of 39 countries, including the US, the UK and France, at the Committee of the United Nations General Assembly, raising their deep concerns over China’s human rights records and the erosion of freedom in Hong Kong. The signatories of the statement rose from 23 countries to 39 this year, which Human Rights Watch welcomed. A Hong Kong Legco member opined that the statement reflected that the CCP’s forced implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong seriously trampled the universal values of democratic countries. The Hong Kong government’s direct denial of the separation of power earlier also prompted democratic countries to re-evaluate Hong Kong’s status as an international society.
Christoph Heusgen, Permanent Representative of Germany to the UN, issued a joint statement on behalf of allies during the 75th UN General Assembly Third Committee General Debate, a session dedicated to social, humanitarian and cultural issues. The countries expressed deep concerns over the Hong Kong national security law. They also called on Beijing to protect the autonomy, rights and freedoms in Hong Kong and to respect the independence of the Hong Kong judiciary. In the statement, the countries raised concerns over China’s establishment of “re-education camps” in Xinjiang and suppression of Uyghur Muslim minorities as well. It pointed out that “Widespread surveillance disproportionately continues to target Uyghurs and other minorities and more reports are emerging of forced labour and forced birth control including sterilization”, and urged Beijing to “allow immediate, meaningful and unfettered access to Xinjiang for independent observers”.
The signatories include Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Marshall Islands, Monaco, Nauru, the Netherlands, New Zealand, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Poland, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the UK, the US and Germany. Former Permanent Representative of the UK to the UN Karen Pierce issued a similar statement on behalf of 23 countries at the Third Committee in the previous year. The signatories rose to 39 countries this year, which was welcomed by human rights organisations. Louis Charbonneau, the United Nations director at Human Rights Watch, said, “The 39 states took a stand despite China’s persistent threats and intimidation tactics against those who speak out.”
Source: Apple Daily #Oct07
#China #HongKong #Xinjiang #Germany #UN #UnitedNations #JointStatement #HumanRights #Uyghurs #HumanRightsWatch #NationalSecurityLaw #GeneralAssembly #ThirdCommittee
https://bit.ly/3dIslXe