Legco told of case involving arrest of sex-attack victim
An asylum seeker was detained by police for overstaying days after she went to the authorities saying she had been raped in Hong Kong, lawmakers heard yesterday.
A spokeswoman for the Association Concerning Sexual Violence Against Women, Ng Wai-ching, told legislators police arrested a suspect in the case and also the alleged victim for overstaying even though she had a letter from the United Nations refugee body showing her pending asylum claim.
'Eventually, they decided not to prosecute the rape case but said they would make a case against the woman for overstaying,' Ms Ng said. 'She was the victim of a rape but she was actually punished and deprived of justice.'
Ms Ng told legislators it was only after intervention by the association and lawyers that police agreed to transfer the woman to the immigration department, which released her.
Deputy Secretary for Security Grace Lui Kit-yuk confirmed the woman had filed a rape complaint with police on May 22, and the police investigated the case.