ERNEST KAO ernest.kao@scmp.com
PUBLISHED : Monday, 14 December, 2015, 2:44am
UPDATED : Monday, 14 December, 2015, 2:43am
Pro-democracy activist Ken Tsang Kin-chiu was allegedly assaulted by seven police officers during Occupy protests last October. Photo: Dickson Lee
A coalition of non-governmental organisations has called on Hong Kong officials and the police to take heed of recommendations from the UN Committee Against Torture, including allowing independent probes of allegations of excessive police use of force during the Occupy movement.
Rights groups representing the transgender and intersex communities, asylum seekers, domestic helpers and the disabled also called on the city to "move with the times" and adopt international rights standards.
"The UN has clearly stated that it hopes police will reveal and publicise its guidelines on use of force ... and ensure use of force is in line with international standards," said pro-democracy activist Ken Tsang Kin-chiu, who was allegedly assaulted by seven police officers during Occupy protests last October.
"They have called for independent investigations and for the officers involved to be duly prosecuted and if found guilty, to be given adequate penalties," he said.
The report expressed concern that investigations of police complaints continued to be conducted by the Complaints Against Police Office, which is a separate division within the force, and that the Independent Police Complaints Council remained an advisory oversight body with no power to conduct its own investigations.
Democratic Party chairwoman Emily Lau Wai-hing said she would ask Police Commissioner Stephen Lo Wai-chung to implement the recommendations during a Legislative Council panel meeting next month.
Johnson Yeung Ching-yin of the Civil Human Rights Front said even if the government was not obliged to follow UN recommendations, the report would give civil society groups and lawmakers more "ammunition" to demand change.
Pink Alliance outreach officer Billy Leung said the government should respect the individual rights of transgender and intersex persons and scrap abusive preconditions for legal recognition.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/1890934/hong-kong-officials-police-urged-abide-un-torture-proposals
