HK and Beijing pour scorn on UN criticism over arrests
Authorities hit back at world body’s remarks and consulates’ commemorations of 1989 crackdown
The United Nations yesterday said it was alarmed over Hong Kong detentions of people who tried to mark the 34th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square crackdown at the weekend.
But the Chinese foreign ministry dismissed the criticism and said it was an attempt to “smear China and interfere in its internal affairs” which would not succeed.
The war of words broke out after police detained a total of 32 people over the weekend in connection with the June 4 anniversary – eight on Saturday and 24 on Sunday.
There were five arrests and others, including journalist Mak Yin-ting, were detained but later released.
The office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights said: “We are alarmed by reports of detentions linked to the June 4 anniversary. We urged the release of anyone detained for exercising freedom of expression and peaceful assembly. We call on authorities to fully abide by obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”
On Sunday, the foreign ministry commissioner in the city issued a statement “strongly rejecting and deploring” commemorations by foreign consulates as a “self-humiliating political farce”.
A spokesman for the commissioner highlighted the consulates of the United States and Canada. “By hyping up an event that has long come to a conclusion, a small number of external forces are obsessed with acting as clowns to throw dirty water on China, put a spoke in the wheel of Hong Kong’s development, and incite antagonism and confrontation,” he said.
“Those who play this trick are just overestimating their own strength and their plots will be consigned to the dustbin of history.”
The consulates of Britain, Australia and the European Union office also posted commemorative images or messages on social media on Sunday.
The Canadian consulate’s message said it joined Hongkongers and others around the world in “remembering the violent crackdown against unarmed and peaceful citizens” on June 4, 1989.
A spokesman for the Chief Executive’s Office yesterday said it would not comment on the actions of the consulates. But a Security Bureau spokesman rejected the UN and journalists’ association views as “fact-twisting and unfounded”.
“The government law enforcement agencies will continue to enforce the laws without fear or favour to safeguard national security and social order,” he said.
The bureau maintained the city residents’ freedoms and rights were guaranteed by the Basic Law, Hong Kong’s mini-constitution.
The bureau also highlighted that the International Covenant on Civil and Political rights included exemptions “necessary for protection of national security, public safety, public order or the rights and freedoms of others”.
Police arrested five people in the area around Causeway Bay’s Victoria Park on Saturday and Sunday. They were released on bail yesterday, but ordered to report back to police in early July.
Most were detained for alleged “acts with a seditious intention” and for “behaving in a disorderly manner in a public place”.
A 53-year-old woman was also arrested on Sunday night in Victoria Park for the alleged obstruction of police officers.
The Hong Kong Journalists Association yesterday said Mak was reporting for Radio France Internationale in Causeway Bay when she was stopped by police around 6pm on Sunday.
She was later taken to Wan Chai police station where she was detained until 11pm, then freed without charge.
“We urge the police to respect the rights of journalists to carry out their reporting duties and not to arbitrarily detain them,” the association said.
We are alarmed by reports of detentions linked to the June 4 anniversary
OFFICE OF THE UNITED NATIONS HIGH COMMISSIONER FOR HUMAN RIGHTS