Amnesty warns of police torture
AMNESTY International has accused the Hong Kong police of using excessive force in the arrest of anti-government protesters, with clear evidence of “torture and ill-treatment” in a number of cases.
“The Hong Kong police’s heavy-handed crowd control response on the streets has been livestreamed for the world to see,” said the rights watchdog’s East Asia director, Nicholas Bequelin.
He said there was little room for doubt that Hong Kong’s security forces had engaged in “a disturbing pattern of reckless and unlawful tactics” against people during the protests.
Amnesty interviewed 21 arrested protesters, and found many had been beaten by police with batons before and during their arrest, with some beaten afterwards while in custody.
Injuries included cracked teeth, broken arms and other wounds that required 85 per cent of those interviewed to seek hospital treatment.
But police maintain they have been restrained in their use of force on the streets.
“In various districts, protesters committed extensive destructive acts such as hurling petrol bombs, setting fires and paralysing traffic,” they said on their Facebook page.
“In face of the lawless and illegal acts of the protesters, police always exercise a high level of restraint and endeavour to restore public order and to protect the safety of the general public.”
Around 1400 people have been arrested since protests began on June 9.