Hong Kong rights groups set up database on Occupy police violence complaints

Several human rights groups have set up a database to collect visual or written accounts of police violence as an alternative to evidence collected by the force's internal complaints mechanism, which they said lacked credibility.

"The public now feels helpless because the [complaints] mechanism has failed to protect their rights, and they don't know where they can air their grievances," said Canto-pop singer Denise Ho Wan-see from Hong Kong Shield, a group of more than 50 local cultural figures and one of five groups behind the project.

The groups say that Police Commissioner Andy Tsang Wai-hung is "the source of the force's abuse of power and excessive use of violence".

The groups are calling on the force to set a deadline for the completion of investigations into complaints.

Officially known as the Police Violence Database in Umbrella Movement, witnesses or victims of police violence or abuse of power are urged to submit details of the event and photos or video clips through an online form on its Facebook page.

A team of over 10 psychiatrists and registered social workers would be available to meet the victims to verify their claims, as well as to offer psychological support if necessary, said Albert Lai Kwong-tak from think tank The Professional Commons.