The Human Rights Committee this morning concluded its consideration of the fourth periodic report of Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China on how it implements the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, with Committee Experts praising legislation improving same sex couples’ access to public housing and visas, and asking about rights restricted by the National Security Law enacted in June 2020.
A Committee Expert welcomed that the High Court of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China had ruled that married same sex couples should be allowed to apply for public housing. In 2018, the court also made a landmark judgment granting spousal visas to same sex couples. What measures, the Expert asked, had been taken to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex persons from hate speech and hate crimes?
Several Committee Experts expressed concern about the National Security Law. One Expert said that this law was promulgated by Beijing overnight without consultation, bypassing the local legislature. The Expert reported that there was a growing number of persons being convicted under this law for innocuous acts such as publishing children’s books and clapping in court. How did those legitimate exercises of free expression rights constitute national security crimes?
Another Expert expressed concern over statistics showing that national security police had over two years arrested 201 individuals for allegedly...
A hotel on one the A127 has issued a statement after what it described as "false and misleading" claims were shared on social media. The Palms Hotel, on Southend Arterial Road (A127) in Hornchurch...