Hong Kong autonomy, oath-taking saga among issues NGO delegation will raise at meeting with UN committee on racism

Despite the panel’s focus on racism, group says political rights are inseparable from human rights, and events effecting Hongkongers’ basic freedoms should be “flagged” first

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Emily Lau Wai-hing (left) with other NGO delegates. Lau will take part in her 30th UN committee meeting when the group heads to Geneva this month. Photo: Winson Wong

Published: 7:01am, 2 Aug 2018Updated: 7:00am, 2 Aug 2018

Beijing’s increasing pressure on Hong Kong’s autonomy and the disqualification of six lawmakers over an oath-taking saga will be among the issues raised by an NGO delegation when it meets members of a UN committee on racial discrimination in Geneva next week.

The group explained on Wednesday that political rights were inseparable from human rights, and thus, events that had affected Hongkongers’ basic freedoms since the city’s last update to the committee in 2008 should be “flagged” first.

“When advocates hold a political viewpoint but are unable to secure a position of influence through elections or other democratic processes, then you know human rights are likely to be casualties,” said associate law professor Puja Kapai, a member of the delegation.

“How valuable is it if the Basic Law can be interpreted at anytime?” says Puja Kapai. Photo: Winson Wong

Kapai, of the University of Hong Kong (HKU), pointed to how Hong Kong had a law to punish racial discrimination and a mini-constitution, the Basic Law, that set out residents’ rights and freedoms.

“[But] how valuable is it if the Basic Law can be interpreted at anytime? There’s no regard to the inbuilt constitutional protection of ‘one country, two systems’,” she said, referring to the model of governance under which China assured Hong Kong of a high degree of autonomy.