Double standard on Hong Kong human rights

Last month marked an important moment in Hong Kong's human rights history: a transsexual woman won her appeal at the Court of Final Appeal. I welcome such a brave decision and look forward to more liberal decisions in future.

With my experiences in Canada, the US and many places, I dare to say that Hong Kong citizens enjoy much more comprehensive human rights than those of many other places. Freedom House, an independent organisation dedicated to the expansion of freedom around the world, recently reported that Hong Kong is perceived to enjoy a high level of civil liberties.

Therefore, I am surprised to see critical comments from the United Nations Human Rights Committee on Hong Kong's human rights in LC Paper No. CB (2)906/12-13(01), including on issues of rule of law and universal suffrage.

I am not persuaded by the writers' views, because they neither appreciate the real essence of the common law nor understand how rule of law works within the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). I strongly believe that the ICCPR cannot be applied to its full extent blindly, without considering real-life situations.

The following are some examples whereby the ICCPR has given way to local laws or constitutions.

One is the case of Charles Ng, a Chinese-American, believed to have raped and murdered up to 25 victims in the 1980s. I am a close friend of Ng's family and I paid attention to the lengthy negotiation between the US and Canada.