Hong Kong Response to US Report on Human RightsHong Kong has fully committed to the protection of human rights, said a government spokesman for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Tuesday, responding to a US human rights report.The spokesman said: "We note the US government's view that the SAR Government generally respected the human rights of the residents. The report also recognized that people's rights to a fair public trial, freedom of association, freedom of religion, freedom of speech and children's right are protected in Hong Kong. "Hong Kong is fully committed to the protection of human rights. In fact, human rights are well protected in our mini-constitution - the Basic Law - the Bill of Rights Ordinance and various local laws. Under Article 39 of the Basic Law, the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as applied to Hong Kong continue to be in force." However, "there are a few points in the report in which we are obliged to clarify," the spokesman said. He said: "It is widely recognized by the international and local communities that press freedom is respected in Hong Kong. The fact remains that Hong Kong's newspapers publish a wide variety of opinions. Opinions which are supportive and critical of the Government are freely reported." The spokesman said the Hong Kong Government has spared no effort in preventing Hong Kong from being used as a migrant trafficking center. Regarding complaints of excessive use of force by Police, the spokesman emphasized that Hong Kong has a professional Police Force that always act in accordance with the law. Last but not least, the spokesman said, there has been some misconception about the effect of the interpretation of Basic Law by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress in 1999. "We like to reiterate that the powers of final adjudication of the Court of the Final Appeal (CFA) have not been affected. The CFA remains our supreme judicial body, and its adjudication of cases is not subject to appeal to any other body," the spokesman said. |
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