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Beanbag bullet inquiry demanded

Rights group asks for police to be held to account for use of force against WTO protesters

Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor has demanded police provide a report on the authorisation and use of beanbag bullets against protesters, as part of a broader inquiry into WTO security.

Director Law Yuk-kai was near Central Plaza in Wan Chai between 6pm and 7pm on December 17 when protesters, led by South Korean farmers, were fired on by police.

'I didn't realise they had fired this Super-Sock stuff,' he said. 'I heard this bang, bang, bang but I couldn't tell if it was tear-gas canisters exploding or a gun firing the beanbag pellets.'

The human rights group is gathering testimonies and photographic evidence on the police handling of the riots. It wants an independent inquiry conducted under the immunity of the Legislative Council, so police can provide an accurate account of events.

Police Commissioner Dick Lee Ming-kwai and Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen have praised police for using minimal force to contain the volatile situation, which left 70 injured.

Police confirmed on Thursday the use of Super-Sock beanbag rounds - pouches filled with pellets - after Chinese-language magazines carried photos of bruised protesters allegedly injured by 'non-lethal' weapons.

While praising police efforts to contain the confrontation and minimise arrests, Mr Law said statements on the use of minimum force had been misleading.

'Before that [Thursday] they had ample opportunity to disclose to the public the use of this type of weapon,' he said. 'The whole point of the discussion is that police were said to have used lawful and minimum force, but this is a deliberate attempt to hold back information.'

UN guidelines on the use of firearms by law enforcement officers say they can only be used when there is 'imminent threat of death or serious injury' and when 'strictly unavoidable in order to protect life'. The protesters were armed with bamboo poles and iron bars taken from security barriers during the clashes.

Police said yesterday that field commanders decided the level of force, which 'must be commensurate with the seriousness of the situation'. They were unable to confirm with what weapon the person who was shot at was armed.

'Police appeal to the demonstrator to contact us as soon as possible for follow-up inquiries on the incident,' a spokesman said.

He said a report would be submitted to the regional commander with a 'view to reviewing the circumstances surrounding the use of force during the operation'.

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