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 Although the extradition bill was suspended in mid-June, the protesters want it officially withdrawn.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 Central Coast News 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 Central Coast News.
More InformationPanARMENIAN.Net - Several U.S. military vehicles entered Syria's Al-Hasakah Governorate on Sunday, December 15 after crossing into the Levantine country ...
WINDHOEK, NAMIBIA - Rhino poaching in Namibia dropped to 41 individuals killed in all of 2019 so far, compared with ...
Donald Trump is no Richard Nixon.Nixon was a bully, a cynic and a crook who did all kinds of damage ...
LOS ANGELES, California - Michael Henschel offered to help financially struggling individuals save their homes.Instead, he stole their American dream.Henschel, ...
Last Easter an antisemitism crisis erupted in the UK setting the Jewish Community against the Labour Party, or more precisely ...
On December 30, 2015, in a court in Florida, Alan Dershowitz, was accused of having had sex on seven occasions ...
Donald Trump is no Richard Nixon.Nixon was a bully, a cynic and a crook who did all kinds of damage ...
LOS ANGELES, California - Michael Henschel offered to help financially struggling individuals save their homes.Instead, he stole their American dream.Henschel, ...
Hours before the official result was complete for Britain's general election, U.S. Democrats on the other side of the Atlantic ...
Washington D.C. [USA], Dec 15 (ANI): The Danish-French actor who rose to prominence as the starlet of her director ex-husband ...
This is how we feel the last decade will go down in cinema history. 1. Legend #17The 2010s gave us ...
Washington D.C. [USA], Dec 15 (ANI): The 'Black Widow', Scarlett Johansson, hosted the Saturday Night live for the sixth time. ...