FORMER solicitor-general Daniel Fung Wah-kin and pro-Beijing figure Shiu Shin-por were embroiled in a row last night over their behaviour at a UN Human Rights Committee hearing in Geneva.
Rights groups said Mr Fung and Mr Shiu, who is from the One Country Two Systems Research Institute, did not understand rules and procedures and repeatedly tried to speak at a briefing the groups had arranged on Friday with committee members.
The pair's last-minute request to speak at the briefing was turned down. The briefing's atmosphere was said to be 'very tense' after Mr Shiu's demand to speak for 30 seconds was rejected. They were only allowed to sit in at the meeting.
Mr Fung and Mr Shiu later expressed regret.
In a joint statement, the Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor, the Hong Kong Journalists' Association, the Hong Kong Human Rights Commission, the Democratic Party and The Frontier said the pair should have arranged their own meeting.
The groups said the pair did not contact them in advance about their desire to express views at the briefing.