HKSAR Government expresses strong disapproval of remarks by spokesperson for United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights about court case under National Security Law
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     The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) today (October 13) expressed strong disapproval of the recent remarks by a spokesperson for the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights about the Hong Kong court's reasons for sentence delivered on October 8 in regard to a case of conspiracy to incite the commission by other persons of the offence of subversion under the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR (National Security Law). A spokesperson for the HKSAR Government said that as the legal proceedings of the case are yet to be completed, it would not be appropriate to comment on the details of the case.  

     On the National Security Law, the HKSAR Government spokesperson stressed, "Human rights and the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights are enshrined in the National Security Law, with an emphasis placed on the fact that principles of human rights protection must be observed when safeguarding national security. In particular, Article 4 of the National Security Law provides that human rights shall be respected and protected in safeguarding national security in the HKSAR, and Article 5 of the National Security Law affirms adherence to the principle of the rule of law while enforcing the law against offences endangering national security. The Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal has pointed out that these two Articles are centrally important to the interpretation of the National Security Law generally.

     "In fact, the National Security Law was enacted to restore the enjoyment of rights and freedoms that people in Hong Kong had been unable to enjoy during the period of serious violence between June 2019 and early 2020. The National Security Law has indeed achieved the intended effect, and has swiftly and effectively restored stability and security."

Ends/Thursday, October 13, 2022
Issued at HKT 20:21

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