Abuse claims show need for better monitoring of all uniformed forces in Hong Kong
Albert Cheng says there must be a credible probe into allegations of mistreatment of young offenders by prison officers. An independent body that oversees all eight disciplined services is the answer
Claims of mistreatment of young offenders by Hong Kong prison officers began to surface in June, and were recently flagged for attention by lawmakers Fernando Cheung Chiu-hung and Shiu Ka-chun. In one media report, interviews with 50 former inmates revealed shocking claims of torture by Correctional Services Department officers.
Allegations include being forced to taste their own faeces. And some were said to have been forced to pour hot porridge on their heads because they could not finish the food quickly enough. Such outrageous behaviour, if true, is unacceptable, and clearly violates the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Cheung and Shiu are said to have even collected the names of officers who were allegedly involved, and are urging the government to set up an independent investigation. The Correctional Services Department has referred the case to the police.
Hong Kong’s prison system explained
Justices of the Peace, who are appointed by the chief executive, inspect prisons, detention centres and other institutions regularly. The accompanying officers are obliged to answer questions. All inmates have the chance to request a private session with the visiting justices to lodge any complaints, and the justices have to ensure the complaints are handled in a fair and transparent manner. In 2015, for example, a total of 138 complaints were received during the justices’ visits.
Time and again, the department has stressed prisons officers’ discipline and code of conduct have been strictly upheld. It says there is zero tolerance of violations of regulations. Yet, the scandal calls into question the effectiveness of these inspections.
Cheung looked into the record of the inspections since 1999. He found that from 2013 to today, eight complaints were filed by juvenile inmates. Four cases were “unsubstantiated”, two were “false” and the other two are still under investigation.
Since the Correctional Services Department conducts investigations into its own officers, can the justices be sure that the complaint was handled in a fair and transparent manner?