Probe demanded into WTO arrests
Legislators were yesterday urged to set up an independent inquiry into alleged breaches of human rights during and after the arrest of 1,000 World Trade Organisation protesters in Wan Chai last December.
The call came from the Hong Kong's People's Alliance on WTO, the Asian Human Rights Commission and the Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor who released a report on the protests.
The report was based on 13 complaints made by the protesters, including those involved in clashes in Wan Chai on December 17 when police had to fire tear gas and rounds of beanbags to ward off protesters. It described the sealing of the Wan Chai area that day as a 'problematic closure' that 'served as a pretext to stop demonstrators from protesting' on the final day of the conference.
It also challenged the decision to arrest more than 1,000 protesters rounded up in Gloucester Road and the 10 hours spent on completing the arrests. During their detention, many protesters complained of ill-treatment by police.
The report said it took 56 hours for the police to free the detainees and decide to prosecute 14 out of the 1,000.
'This claim must be examined by the authorities as it constitutes a serious violation of the protesters' fundamental rights to assembly and expression,' the report said.
In a paper submitted to the security panel, which will meet tomorrow, the Security Bureau said only eight out of 105 demonstrations involved an element of public disorder or violence.
It described the clashes in Wan Chai on December 17 as a 'widespread disturbance' and said the protesters were 'well organised, well equipped, focused and extremely determined'. 'These demonstrators had a clear strategy for escalating confrontations, as well as using violence, negotiations and various distractions to divert police attention,' the paper said.
But the alliance's chairwoman, Elizabeth Tang Yin-ngor, criticised the paper for failing to respond in detail to allegations and complaints made by the protesters.
Eleven of the 14 protesters charged walked free on January 11 after prosecutors said they did not have evidence to justify the charges against them. The remaining three face trial next month.
