Hong Kong hits back at UN committee over ‘unfounded’ accusations national security law diluted city’s judicial independence
- City authorities express ‘strong objection’ to report by UN body overseeing implementation of multilateral treaty on economic, social and cultural rights
- International body urges Hong Kong to review national security law, but city officials call its stance ‘totally unfounded’ and ‘utterly perplexing’
The Hong Kong government has hit back at a United Nations committee over accusations the Beijing-imposed national security law has abolished the city’s judicial independence, describing the remarks as “distorted narratives” and “unfounded”.
City authorities expressed a “strong objection” to a report released on Monday by the United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, issuing a statement at around midnight.
“The committee selectively believed, and made sweeping statements based on certain false information and distorted narratives regardless of the truth, and made one-sided and flawed comments on the human rights situation in Hong Kong in the so-called concluding observations,” the government said.
In the document, the UN committee said it was concerned about reports that the city’s national security law had “de facto abolished” Hong Kong’s judicial independence. The Beijing-decreed legislation, which took effect on June 30, 2020, outlaws acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.
The UN body is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, a multilateral treaty that China has said applies to the city, and features a panel of 18 independent experts.