UN ‘alarmed’ by sentencing of Hong Kong teens to correctional facility over calls to topple authorities by ‘armed revolution’
- United Nations human rights office ‘alarmed’ at sentencing of minors over calls to overthrow city and national governments through violence
- UN spokeswoman asks city administration to respect ‘international human rights obligations’
The United Nations human rights office on Tuesday said it was “alarmed” by the sentencing of four Hong Kong minors from a pro-independence group under the national security law and appealed to local authorities to fall into line with international convention obligations.
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani said the organisation regretted Hong Kong’s first cases that sentenced the youngsters to a correctional facility under the Beijing-imposed legislation for abetting an “armed revolution” to overthrow the city and national governments.
“We regret the continued application of the national security law, including against children, in spite of the clear recommendations of the Human Rights Committee,” Shamdasani said.
“We urge the authorities to bring the Hong Kong SAR’s legislation and practice fully into compliance with its international human rights obligations.”
The pro-independence group involved in the case, Returning Valiant, which is now dissolved, consisted of 20 members who referred to the organisation as “the embers of revolution”.