Hong Kong Watch's Patron Calls for UK government to raise human rights abuses in Hong Kong with the United Nations
Alistair Carmichael MP, Hong Kong Watch’s Patron and Co-chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hong Kong, has put down a House of Commons motion calling on the UK government to raise with the United Nations human rights abuses by the Hong Kong police force. The motion which has cross party support argues that Hong Kong police have broken UN humanitarian rules setting a dangerous precedent.
The motion recalls a recent presentation by a consultant surgeon based in Hong Kong who reported his concern at “the arrest and public humiliation of those providing medical assistance to the injured”” and observes “the failure of the international community to condemn [human rights] breaches by the Hong Kong police” would set “a dangerous precedent, encouraging others to follow suit, placing in grave jeopardy the lives and welfare of humanitarian aid workers around the world”.
This motion has received cross-party support from MPs including Caroline Lucas (Green), Sir David Amess (Conservative), Jim Shannon (Democratic Unionist) and Ben Lake (Plaid Cymru). Alistair Carmichael MP added “This new Motion must act as a reminder that the crisis in Hong Kong demands greater attention from the international community and from the United Kingdom in particular. I hope that Members from all sides of Parliament will back the EDM to give a strong statement of support to the people of Hong Kong.”
The Early Day Motion reads:
This House welcomes the inauguration of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Hong Kong to promote democracy and the rule of law, and to defend human rights in Hong Kong, to share information about Hong Kong, and to nurture relations between the United Kingdom and the people of Hong Kong; notes that the inaugural meeting heard chilling testimony from a consultant surgeon who provides humanitarian aid to those injured in the protests, including police, protestors and bystanders, and who reported having treated the kind of injuries seen in wars; is profoundly concerned by reports of the arrest and public humiliation of those providing medical assistance to the injured; observes that video footage of police brutality demonstrates that the Hong Kong police are failing to adhere to the provisions of the United Nations Guidance on Less Lethal Weapons in Law Enforcement; further observes that the arrest of those providing humanitarian assistance is contrary to international law and the global consensus on fundamental human rights of access to medical treatment; is alarmed that failure of the international community to condemn these breaches by the Hong Kong police would set a dangerous precedent, encouraging others to follow suit, placing in grave jeopardy the lives and welfare of humanitarian aid workers around the world, including providers of medical and other aid from the United Kingdom; and calls on the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to raise these concerns with the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.