Human Rights in China 中国人权 | HRIC
Published on Human Rights in China 中国人权 | HRIC (https://www.hrichina.org)


June 28, 2019
Posted in: 
HRIC Bulletin
  • Citizen Participation
  • Freedom of Association
  • Freedom of Expression
  • Freedom of Press
  • Hong Kong
  • Human Rights Council
  • One country, two systems
  • Rule Of Law
  • United Nations

In a letter to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, Human Rights in China urges her to speak out publicly, strongly, and unequivocally to support the people of Hong Kong in their demand for the full withdrawal of an extradition bill that has triggered, over recent weeks, the most massive protests in Hong Kong’s history. (See below for text of letter.)

“The people of Hong Kong—ordinary citizens from all rungs of society—raising their voices against a global power that has intimidated governments around the world are the manifestation of courage and an inspiration to us all,” writes Sharon Hom, Executive Director of HRIC.

Introduced in February of this year, the extradition bill, if passed, would expose anyone living in or passing through Hong Kong to rendition to mainland China, where the judicial system lacks independence and where many criminal suspects are not accorded due process protection.

The largely decentralized protests, supported by many sectors, including business, legal, academic, and labor, have taken various forms: many large-scale marches including one on June 16 that was joined by an estimated two million people; petitions to foreign government consulates to urge representatives attending the G20 Osaka Summit (June 28-29) to raise their concerns with China; and today, crowdfunded full-page ads headlined “Stand With Hong Kong at G20” appearing in 17 newspapers in at least 12 different countries, including the New York Times (U.S. and international), Guardian (U.K.), Asahi Shimbun (Japan), Süddeutsche Zeitung (Germany), Chosun Ilbo (South Korea), and Apple Daily (Taiwan).

“If there is a time when the people of Hong Kong, and of the world, need to hear from you . . . this is the moment,” Hom urges the world’s highest official charged with promoting the protection of human rights worldwide.

 

HRIC Letter to Michelle Bachelet, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights

June 28, 2019

 

Ms. Michelle Bachelet
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Human Rights Council

Via email

Dear High Commissioner Bachelet,

As you are aware, in the last few weeks, in a series of massive street protests involving a very large portion of Hong Kong’s population across all sectors—from business to law to academic to labor—Hong Kong’s people have demonstrated their strong opposition to an extradition bill that, if passed, will expose anyone living in or passing through Hong Kong to rendition to mainland China, where the judicial system lacks independence and where criminal suspects are not accorded due process protection. The international community, including business, foreign bar associations, governments, and China experts, has also expressed concerns about the bill’s potential impact on the rule of law in Hong Kong.

We noted your mention of Hong Kong in your remarks at the opening of the 41st session of the Human Rights Council last week—that you “commend the sound decision” of the Hong Kong government to suspend the bill. However, we are very disappointed that you have remained silent about the risk of violations of internationally enshrined core fundamental rights posed by a bill that still hangs over the heads of the Hong Kong people like the Sword of Damocles. The “suspension of the legislative process” announced by the Hong Kong SAR Government did not respond to the substantive and legal concerns raised by citizens about the bill.

Following the announcement, as many as two million Hong Kong citizens stood up bravely to continue the call for the complete withdrawal of the bill. The people of Hong Kong—ordinary citizens from all rungs of society—raising their voices against a global power that has intimidated governments around the world are the manifestation of courage and an inspiration to us all.

In this hour of crisis engulfing the Hong Kong people, we urge you to speak out publicly, strongly, and unequivocally in support of the Hong Kong people’s just demands for a full withdrawal of the bill and an independent investigation into the use of police force against demonstrators. The failure of the High Commissioner to speak out more forcefully undermines civil society on the ground and deprives it of a fundamental tool: the leadership and voice of the UN office specifically mandated to promote and protect the full enjoyment of human rights by all people and to prevent human rights violations.

Despite China’s claims, what happens to, and in Hong Kong is not only a local or “domestic” matter. Governed under the principle of one country, two systems, pledged by the People’s Republic of China in an international treaty which allows the preservation of its existing way of life for 50 years following its return to PRC rule in 1997—Hong Kong is a testing ground for whether mainland China would be held accountable to the international commitments it has made, or whether international human rights authorities would just stand by as it violates that agreement and tramples on fundamental rights protected under international law.

If there is a time when the people of Hong Kong, and of the world, need to hear from you—the world’s highest official charged with promoting the protection of human rights and the respect for human dignity worldwide—this is the moment.

Respectfully,

Sharon Hom
Executive Director
Human Rights in China

Related resources
  • Hong Kong Program Work [1]
  • 2019 Hong Kong Protests Timeline [2]
  • HK Timeline: The Struggle for Democracy & Universal Suffrage [3]
  • CRF 2015, no. 1 - HK & Mainland: Shared Future, Contested Present [4]
  • CRF 2014, no. 2 - Steadfast in the Storm [5]
  • CRF 2011, no. 4 - Hong Kong & Mainland China: Building a Shared Future [6]
Hong Kong related resources

2019 Anti-Extradition Protests

  • World’s Top Human Rights Official Must Uphold Her Mandate and Press for Human Rights Protection for the People of Hong Kong [7], November 22, 2019
  • Hong Kong SAR Government Must Ensure Effective De-escalation of Dangerous Police Action at PolyU [8], November 17, 2019
  • NGOs from Over 100 Countries Support the People of Hong Kong [9], October 24, 2019
  • FIDH Urgent Resolution on the Human Rights Situation in Hong Kong [10], October 24, 2019
  • The People's Republic of China at 70: The Final Insanity Commentary by Gao Wenqian [11], October 7, 2019
  • Naked Police Violence in Hong Kong as Beijing Celebrates National Day [12], October 1, 2019
  • CECC Hearing: “Hong Kong’s Summer of Discontent and U.S. Policy Responses” [13], September 19, 2019
  • Sharon Hom’s Testimony at Congressional-Executive Commission on China’s Hearing: “Hong Kong’s Summer of Discontent and U.S. Policy Responses” [14], September 17, 2019
  • China/Hong Kong: UN experts urge China to respect protesters’ rights [15], September 12, 2019
  • Hong Kong: A High-Stakes Gamble Xi Jinping Is Destined to Make [16], September 3, 2019
  • CECC Hearing: “Hong Kong’s Summer of Discontent and U.S. Policy Responses” [13], September 19, 2019
  • End Impunity for State-Sanctioned Violence in Hong Kong [17], August 13, 2019
  • Statement from the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Michelle Bachelet, on Violence in Hong Kong [18], August 13, 2019.
  • Chinese Mission to the UN in Geneva's Remarks on OHCHR Press Briefing Note [19], August 13, 2019.
  • HRIC Urges Michelle Bachelet to Support the People of Hong Kong [20], June 28, 2019.
  • HRIC, 2019 Hong Kong Protests against Extradition Bill: A Brief Timeline [21], last updated August 12, 2019.
  • Sharon Hom, Hong Kong’s protests: The political bill for impunity must be paid sooner or later [22], Hong Kong Free Press, August 7, 2019.
  • Sharon Hom, A letter to Hong Kong’s Carrie Lam: if not to your own conscience, you will be held accountable by history [23], Hong Kong Free Press, July 27, 2019.
  • Compilation of incidents of police violence on August 11 in Hong Kong [24], August 11, 2019.
  • Carrie Lam’s Press Conference [25], August 13, 2019
  • The Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Hong Kong: Club Lunch Panel: The Hong Kong Protests and Press Freedom [26], August 11, 2019.
  • The Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Hong Kong: Sharron Fast: Covering the Hong Kong Protests [27], August 6, 2019.
  • The Foreign Correspondents’ Club, Hong Kong: Stevo Stephen: The Hong Kong Protests – A Workshop on Journalists’ Safety [28], July 23, 2019.
  • Hong Kong reporters coughed blood and developed rashes after tear gas exposure [29], doctors say, Hong Kong Free Press, August 9, 2019.
  • Hong Kong police admit ‘decoy operation’ (video) [30], South China Morning Post, August 12, 2019.

2014 Occupy Movement

  • HK Timeline: The Struggle for Democracy & Universal Suffrage [3]
  • CRF 2015, no. 1 - HK & Mainland: Shared Future, Contested Present [4]
  • CRF 2014, no. 2 - Steadfast in the Storm [5]

Other

  • CRF 2011, no. 4 - Hong Kong & Mainland China: Building a Shared Future [6]

Source URL: https://www.hrichina.org/en/press-work/hric-bulletin/hric-urges-michelle-bachelet-support-people-hong-kong

Links
[1] https://www.hrichina.org/en/hong-kong-program-work
[2] https://www.hrichina.org/en/2019-hong-kong-protests-timeline
[3] https://www.hrichina.org/en/hk-timeline-struggle-democracy-universal-suffrage
[4] https://www.hrichina.org/en/crf/2015.1/hk-mainland-shared-future-contested-present
[5] https://www.hrichina.org/en/crf/2014.2/steadfast-in-the-storm
[6] https://www.hrichina.org/en/crf/issue/2011.04
[7] https://www.hrichina.org/en/press-work/statement/worlds-top-human-rights-official-must-uphold-her-mandate-and-press-human-rights
[8] https://www.hrichina.org/en/press-work/hric-bulletin/hong-kong-sar-government-must-ensure-effective-de-escalation-dangerous
[9] https://www.hrichina.org/en/press-work/hric-bulletin/ngos-over-100-countries-support-people-hong-kong
[10] https://www.hrichina.org/en/press-work/joint-statements/fidh-urgent-resolution-human-rights-situation-hong-kong
[11] https://www.hrichina.org/en/press-work/hric-comment/peoples-republic-china-70-final-insanity
[12] https://www.hrichina.org/en/press-work/hric-bulletin/naked-police-violence-hong-kong-beijing-celebrates-national-day
[13] https://www.hrichina.org/en/press-work/hric-bulletin/cecc-hearing-hong-kongs-summer-discontent-and-us-policy-responses
[14] https://www.hrichina.org/en/press-work/statement/sharon-homs-testimony-congressional-executive-commission-chinas-hearing-hong
[15] https://www.hrichina.org/en/press-work/hric-bulletin/chinahong-kong-un-experts-urge-china-respect-protesters-rights
[16] https://www.hrichina.org/en/press-work/hric-bulletin/hong-kong-high-stakes-gamble-xi-jinping-destined-make
[17] https://www.hrichina.org/en/press-work/statement/end-impunity-state-sanctioned-violence-hong-kong
[18] https://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=24888&LangID=E
[19] http://www.china-un.ch/eng/hom/t1688514.htm
[20] https://www.hrichina.org/en/press-work/hric-bulletin/hric-urges-michelle-bachelet-support-people-hong-kong
[21] https://www.hrichina.org/en/2019-hong-kong-protests-against-extradition-bill-brief-timeline
[22] https://www.hongkongfp.com/2019/08/07/hong-kongs-protests-political-bill-impunity-must-paid-sooner-later/
[23] https://www.hongkongfp.com/2019/07/27/letter-hong-kongs-carrie-lam-not-conscience-will-held-accountable-history/
[24] https://www.facebook.com/57studioo/videos/1291569237687250/
[25] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e66yDClY1SE
[26] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUyZ_cT0Lgc
[27] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f4Lgj1jZJqw
[28] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P55mri6fXTc
[29] https://www.hongkongfp.com/2019/08/09/hong-kong-reporters-coughed-blood-developed-rashes-tear-gas-exposure-doctors-say/
[30] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jndLG9mCFsg