UN news
14 Aug 2019, 08:37 GMT+10
After two consecutive days of chaos at Hong Kong International Airport, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) Michelle Bachelet expressed her concern and condemned "any form" of violence or destruction of property and urged the demonstrators to "express their views in a peaceful way".
The High Commissioner is "concerned by the ongoing events in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR), and the escalation of violence that has taken place in recent days", her spokesperson, Rupert Colville, told reporters in Geneva on Tuesday.
"She notes the Chief Executive's commitment to 'engage as widely as possible' and to 'listen to the grievances of the people of Hong Kong'", said Mr. Colville. "She calls on the authorities and the people of Hong Kong to engage in an open and inclusive dialogue aimed at resolving all issues peacefully".
The protests began with a proposed bill that would have enabled China to extradite individuals from Hong Kong to be tried on the mainland. Although the extradition bill was suspended in mid-June, the protesters want it officially withdrawn.
The major economic hub was under British control until 1997, when it was handed back to China under the governing principle known as "one country, two systems". Despite being under the authority of the Chinese Government, voters in Hong Kong elect their own Legislative Council.
According to news reports, Tuesday's protest came a day after demonstrators occupied arrival and departure areas inside what is one of the world's busiest airports. While service resumed on Tuesday morning, protestors returned, and flight cancellations increased, causing tension between protestors and some travellers.
Ms. Bachelet is staunch in her belief that "the only sure way to achieve long-term political stability and public security" is by creating channels for people to participate in public affairs and decisions affecting their lives, said Mr. Colville.
"The rights of freedom of expression and peaceful assembly and the right to participate in public affairs are expressly recognized in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, as well as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights which is incorporated in the Basic Law of the Hong Kong SAR", the human rights chief maintains.
Mr. Colville said that there was "credible evidence" of law enforcement officials using some anti-riot measures which are "prohibited by international norms and standards".
As an example, he said that officials have been seen firing tear gas canisters into crowded, enclosed areas and directly at individual protesters on multiple occasions, "creating a considerable risk of death or serious injury".
"The Office would urge the Hong Kong SAR authorities to investigate these incidents immediately, to ensure security personnel comply with the rules of engagement, and where necessary, amend the rules of engagement for law enforcement officials in response to protests where these may not conform with international standards", Mr. Colville stressed.
Moreover, OHCHR urged the authorities to "act with restraint" and to respect and protect peaceful protestors while simultaneously ensuring that law enforcement officials respond to violence and in conformity with international standards on the use of force, "including the principles of necessity and proportionality".
(Photo credit: Imgur).
Get a daily dose of Illinois Intelligencer news through our daily email, its complimentary and keeps you fully up to date with world and business news as well.
Publish news of your business, community or sports group, personnel appointments, major event and more by submitting a news release to Illinois Intelligencer.
More InformationWASHINGTON, DC - U.S. President-elect Joe Biden on Thursday (local time) announced a USD 1.9 trillion plan to revive the ...
Kabul [Afghanistan], January 17 (ANI/Sputnik): US and Afghan officials on Sunday condemned the killing of two female supreme court judges ...
While efforts to legalize recreational cannabis nationally have stalled in the United States, New Zealand,
With the United States Capitol overrun by Trump's deplorables, it was easy to miss the other calamity that hit America ...
The U.S. Founding Fathers would want us to get the COVID-19 vaccine
Washington [US], January 17 (ANI): Outgoing US Vice President Mike Pence on Saturday urged President-elect Joe Biden's administration to exercise ...
Institutions meeting from Tokyo to Frankfurt to Ottawa are pondering the prospect of another lost quarter amid renewed lockdowns to ...
WASHINGTON, DC - Outgoing U.S. President Donald Trump's administration carried out its last federal execution when Dustin John Higgs, convicted ...
A Chinese government survey ship was intercepted "running dark" without broadcasting its position via AIS (Automated Identification System) by Indonesian ...
WASHINGTON, DC The man who struck down three U.S. Capitol Police officers with a fire extinguisher during last week's storming ...
WASHINGTON, DC - A Utah man has been charged with breaking into the U.S. Capitol last week wearing a bullet-proof ...
Provided by Xinhua | &A 6.2-magnitude earthquake has killed 35 people in Indonesia, injuring 637 and displacing around 15,000 people.JAKARTA, ...
Five United Nations peacekeepers lost their lives on Wednesday, 4 in Mali and one in the Central African Republic. 4 ...