聯合國人權專家關注港工會權利遭打壓 

3 mins read
United Nations

聯合國人權事務委員會2022年7月7、8及12日於瑞士日內瓦審議香港執行《公民權利及政治權利國際公約》實施情況,內容涉及多個不同範疇,其中委員對於香港工會組織受打壓狀況表示關注,並質問香港政府如何確保《國安法》實施不會侵犯港人自由結社權利。 
 
是次審議為《國安法》實施後首次進行,對上一次收集意見為2020年6月,當時仍未解散的香港職工會聯盟(職工盟)亦有提交書面報告,相隔兩年,香港人權狀況已出現翻天覆地變化。 
 
是次審議期間,剛巧是香港言語治療師工會五名理事遭還柙近一年後在法庭正式受審。委員布爾坎(Christopher Arif Bulkan) 於首天會議便質問特區政府何以用「煽動罪」控告出版兒童書籍、在法庭拍手掌、叫喊「光復香港」或只是在社交媒體批評港府防疫政策等「無害行為」,要求當局交代這些行為如何危害「國家安全」。 
 
三天聆訊期間,有委員特別關注有工會遭受當局審查及被指勾結外國勢力的狀況。委員戈麥斯( Carlos Gómez Martínez) 提出,《國安法》中「勾結外國勢力」及「外國代理人」定義空泛,敵視與外國工會組織有聯繫的香港工會,工會可因此被監視及要求提交資料,要求特區政府解釋有關情況。 
 
另一委員桑欽(Vasilka Sancin) 則要求特區政府交代監視及偵查工會資料的情況,憂慮做法侵犯私隱權(Right to privacy)。委員戈麥斯在提問時也特別提及,有工會被國安警及職工會登記局審查,特別針對這些工會與國際工會聯繫及對外申請國際資助,他們因而面臨被取締或刑事檢控的威脅,要求香港政府代表交代有關情況。 
 
同時,戈麥斯亦提及,根據國際勞工組織(International Labour Organisation) 報告指出,香港在2021年有大量工會解散,削弱公民自由及結社權利,但特區政府卻拒絕因應國際勞工組織建議,就《國安法》的實施影響進行諮詢,要求政府代表解釋。 
 

對於聯合國專家的多個尖銳提問,出席會議的香港官員始終未有正面回應。保安局副秘書長廖李可期表示,煽動罪執法與2019年反修例運動有關,又形容有人以傳媒、文化及藝術等「軟對抗」方式,煽動對中央政府及港府的仇恨及對抗。至於針對有關工會的提問,出席的勞工處副處長何錦標(Raymond Ho) 只重申,《職工會條例》保障員工組織及參與工會活動,維持不變。工會亦有自由參加外國工會組織。但對於有工會被取締、受到審查及要求提交內部資訊的情況,卻一概迴避作答。 
 
聯合國人權事務委員會將於7月22日召開會議,就審議及撰寫香港報告書作出討論,香港勞權監察會繼續跟進,定時向委員提供香港勞權狀況資訊,並期望聯合國的介入能引起更廣泛的國際迴響。 

UN experts raised concerns over crackdown on trade unions’ rights in Hong Kong

2 mins read
United Nations

Hong Kong’s National Security Law (NSL) and the crackdown on civil society were under the spotlight in the latest UN Human Rights Committee review on the city’s compliance with the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

The UN Human Rights Committee reviewed Hong Kong’s compliance with the ICCPR in Geneva, Switzerland, on 7, 8, and 12 July 2022. It was the committee’s first review since the imposition of the NSL on June 30, 2020.

The committee collected a list of issues from the Hong Kong civil society back in June 2020. The Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions (HKCTU) submitted a written report to the committee. HKCTU was disbanded in October 2021.

Five speech therapists case highlighted

Two years since the NSL was implemented, Hong Kong has experienced a significant deterioration in human rights. The Hong Kong authorities have relentlessly criminalized trade union activities under the pretext of “national security.”

At the time of the review in Geneva, five speech therapists were charged with sedition over a children’s books series they published under the name of their trade union, the General Union of Hong Kong Speech Therapists. They were remanded before trial for almost a year.

On the first day of the review, committee member Christopher Arif Bulkan raised questions about the case. He asked the Hong Kong authorities to explain how “harmless” actions such as publishing children’s books, clapping and shouting the slogan “Liberate Hong Kong” in the court room, and criticising the Government’s COVID measures can constitute threats to “national security.”

Committee members: NSL created a hostile environment for local unions

In the three-day review, the committee members highlighted that Hong Kong trade unions were scrutinised and accused of “colluding with foreign forces.” Committee member Carlos Gómez Martínez pointed out that the broad and vague definitions of “colluding with foreign forces” and “foreign agent” were hostile to local trade unions affiliated with unions outside Hong Kong. He asked the Hong Kong authorities to explain why trade unions were monitored and requested to hand in information on account of their affiliation.

Committee member Vasilka Sancin was also concerned that the Hong Kong authorities’ request for operation details from trade unions was a breach of the unions’ right to privacy. She asked the Hong Kong delegation to provide more information. Member Gómez Martínez also pressed the authorities to explain why the National Security Police and the Trade Union Registry targeted trade union’s affiliations and their funding applications from international unions. The trade unionists under investigation face the prospect of prosecution.

Gómez Martínez cited the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and pointed out that a large number of Hong Kong trade unions was disbanded in 2021, curtailing the right to association of the people in Hong Kong. However, the Hong Kong authorities declined to adopt the ILO’s recommendation to conduct a public consultation on the actual impact of the NSL. Gómez Martínez asked the Government to explain its decision.

The delegation from the Hong Kong government failed to answer the critical questions from the expert panel. The Deputy Secretary of the Hong Kong Security Bureau, Apollonia Lee, said that the government used the Sedition Law against the backdrop of Hong Kong’s massive Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill Movement in 2019. She described attempts to incite hatred and defiance against the Chinese and Hong Kong government in a “soft resistance” through media, culture, and art. Raymond Ho, the deputy commissioner of the Hong Kong Labour Department, maintained that the Hong Kong Trade Union Regulation provides protection for labourers who organise and participate in union activities. He added that trade unions have the liberty to join foreign union organisations. However, he failed to explain why one particular trade union was deregistered and many more were inspected and requested to submit internal information.

The committee will reconvene the meeting on 22 July. They will discuss the review as well as the follow- up report. Hong Kong Labour Rights Monitor will continue facilitating the committee’s work