收到兩封來自國際社會的公開信, 一封來自瑞士 International Union of Food, Agricultural, Hotel, Restaurant, Catering, Tobacco and Allied Workers’ Associations 題為: 全世界在盯著你! (the whole world is watching!)
另一封來自南韓, 由35個人權組織而成的人權網絡.
在搋捕過程中違反人權的做法, 國際社會是有目共睹的.
To: Mr. Donald Tsang, Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region
Fax: 00852 2509 0577
Dear Mr. Tsang,
We strongly protest against the unreasonable measures used by the Hong Kong police in suppressing a mass march of workers, farmers and human rights activists during the WTO Ministerial meeting on 17-18 December. Owing to police overreaction, a peaceful march through the streets of Hong Kong resulted in mayhem, as pepper spray, water cannons and rubber bullets were employed against unarmed participants. We understand that over 1,000 persons were arrested and we have been informed of serious rights violations committed against detainees.
Fourteen of the detainees have since had formal charges lodged against them and continue to be held pending trial in the Hong Kong courts. All others have been released.
Among the 14 demonstrators who have been charged are 11 Koreans and one person each from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan. Among the Koreans charged are 2 trade unionists: YANG, Kyung Kyu, the president of the KPSU (Korean Federation of Transportation, Public and Social Services Workers’ Unions) and - LIM, Dae-Hyuk, solidarity director of the Korean Metal Workers’ Union.
The IUF is an international trade union organization representing over 12 million workers in the food, agricultural, hotel, restaurant, catering, tobacco and allied industries in 125 countries. On behalf of our world-wide membership, I call upon you to use your good offices to ensure that all demonstrators are released immediately and unconditionally.
Yours sincerely,
Ron Oswald
General Secretary
cc: Mr. Pascal Lamy, WTO Director General
Fax: 022 731 42 06
Letter to HK Authorities from Korean Human Rights organizations
We, the Korean Human Rights Network composed of 35 human rights organizations in the Republic of Korea, are welcome to hear the news that 838 protesters who were detained in the police station were released yesterday. But, we are concerned that 14 protesters in detention are waiting for whether or not they would be prosecuted.
Even though there is an opinion that the activities of Korean protesters was somewhat in a violent way comparing to the nature of Hong Kong law and order, there need a consideration why they had no choice but to choosing such a way in the circumstance their life has been devastated by WTO. Therefore, they should not be regarded as a criminal and we hope 14 protesters (11 Koreans, 1 local, 1 Taiwanese, 1 Indonesian) who are currently detained in the police station will be released immediately without any conditions according to humanitarian way.
We have been reported by human rights groups and lawyers in Hong Kong regarding the use of excessive force by using pepper spray, tear-gas, and water cannon as well as human rights violations by the Hong Kong SAR police when they arrested and detained the protesters.
According to the protesters who have just returned to the Republic of Korea, the human rights violations committed by the police are also reported.
• The police used plastic strips to tie the protesters’ hands and did not allow them to be untied even when going to the rest room;
• Some Korean female protesters were slapped on their cheek by the police when they protested against the police’s attempt to strip them and do body searches;
• After being detained, they were unable to go to the rest room due to the police and warders at the detention centre not always being present;
• Not having any other facilities for detention the police detained protesters on the street for a long time. Some protesters were forced into police bus which traveled around the city for 10 hours after the protesters were arrested at 11am. Furthermore, the police did not inform the protesters of their rights at the time of arrest and left some of the protesters in the parking lot at the police station without blankets;
• Blankets were not also provided when the protesters were put on a cement floor in the police cell and the protesters were unable to stretch their legs because the cell was too small to detain 30 protesters;
• During their detention, the protesters were not allowed to make phone calls and were not provided proper medical attention.
In the light of the findings, we come to a conclusion that those affairs excessively restricted the rights guaranteed under the Universal Declaration on Human Rights in terms of freedom to assembly and protest, and article 19 and 20 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. We further conclude that the use of “excessive” police force provoked the clashes between the protesters and the police.
We kindly request you to release the last 14 detainees unconditionally and guarantee their secure. We further request the relevant authorities to thoroughly investigate human rights violations of the protesters by the police.
We are looking forward to hearing from you.
Sincerely yours,
Lae-goon Park
SARANGBANG group for Human Rights
Seoul, Republic of Korea
Tel: +82 2 741 5363
Fax: +82 2 741 5364
Mail: [email protected]