聯合聲明|香港:立即撤銷針對維園燭光晚會籌辦者的指控
2021-9-17
(紐約.2021年9月16日) — 62個 香港及國際人權組織今天共同表示,香港政府應該撤銷針對每年都組織六四紀念晚會的民間團體領袖的所有指控。
2021年 9 月 9 日,香港律政司司長以「煽動顛覆國家政權」的罪名,起訴香港市民支援愛國民主運動聯合會(下稱支聯會)主席李卓人(64歲),副主席鄒幸彤(36歲) 及何俊仁(69歲)。 警方於 9 月 8 日逮捕鄒幸彤,而李卓人及何俊仁則早於今年四月及五月,已因其他社會行動入獄。鄒幸彤和支聯會的其他四名主要成員,包括鄧岳君(53歲)、梁錦威(36歲)、陳多偉(57歲)及徐漢光(72歲) ,同時被以「沒有遵從通知規定提供資料罪」,另案起訴,並被法官拒絕保釋。有關起訴違反了香港根據國際人權法所應承擔的義務,包括保障人民言論自由、結社自由及和平集會的權利。
「透過逮捕燭光晚會的籌辦者,北京和香港當局正在告訴全世界,他們不僅害怕最和平的抗議活動,而且也害怕他們自己殘酷的歷史。」人權觀察中國部主任索菲・理查森(Sophie Richardson)表示: 「他們應該結束這場政治迫害,立即撤銷指控,並釋放所有燭光晚會的籌辦者。」
中國政府於2020年6月30日對香港實施嚴酷的《國家安全法》,「煽動顛覆國家政權」和「沒有遵從通知規定提供資料」是有關法例中第23和43條所規定的罪行。這些罪行的定義往往過於寬泛和模糊。「顛覆」一詞將任何嚴重「干擾」、「阻撓」或「破壞」中國或香港政府運作的行為定為犯罪,這一定義很容易把和平抗議也涵蓋在內。這些指控是北京針對支聯會不斷升級的行動之一。
2020年和2021年,香港警方以公共衛生為由禁止舉辦燭光晚會。在此之前,香港是中國主權下每年公開紀念1989年天安門大屠殺事件的唯一地方。
政府在2021年將其威嚇力度升級。6月2日,香港食物環境衛生署宣稱,由支聯會成立並以天安門鎮壓事件為主題的「六四紀念館」,因未有取得娛樂場所證照而違法。支聯會被迫暫時關閉紀念館。同年6月4日,警方以鄒幸彤呼籲人們點燃蠟燭紀念天安門屠殺事件,指她「煽惑他人參與未經批准集結」並予以逮捕。此外,警方還封鎖了維多利亞公園,並在全城部署了數千名警力,以防止抗議活動。
同年7月,支聯會預期政府的打壓將至,開始裁員並縮減運作。8月25日,警方指控支聯會涉嫌「勾結外國勢力」並展開調查,要求該會提供其成員身份和財務資訊。支聯會以警方濫用職權和缺乏合理基礎為由,拒絕提供資訊,警方隨即再次逮捕鄒幸彤和支聯會的執委會成員。
9月9日,警方突襲已暫時關閉的「六四紀念館」,並移走部分展品,包括過往維園六四燭光晚會的照片,以及標誌著1989年中國民主運動的民主女神的大型看板。9月10日,警方凍結了支聯會總值220萬港元的資產。同日,香港保安局局長通知支聯會,政府已計劃撤銷支聯會在公司註冊處的註冊,這將等同於解散支聯會。
《基本法》是香港事實上的憲法,它明文規定對人權和基本自由的保障。這些權利也受到《公民權利和政治權利國際公約》(下稱「公政公約」)的保障。「公政公約」亦已透過《基本法》被納入香港的法律框架,成爲《香港人權法案條例》。「公政公約」保障包括言論、結社以及和平集會等各項基本自由。
關切香港的各國政府應針對香港特首林鄭月娥、警務處處長蕭澤頤、保安局局長鄧炳強和其他應就此打壓事件負責的中、港官員實施一致的、有針對性的制裁,包括旅行禁令和資產凍結。各國政府亦應更多就香港公民團體被打壓的情況,發佈共同聲明,表達關注。長遠來說,各國政府應該協助在中國以及香港之外的海外團體,保存與出版各種目前在香港被禁止或是被隔絕的資料,包括標語、藝術創作與政治相關的題材,特別是與1989年天安門大屠殺有關的資訊。
「香港與中國當局不應該在毫無代價的情況下,得以禁止紀念活動、關閉紀念館以及監禁和平的批評者」公民力量發起人楊建利說。「對於香港急速崩壞的人權狀況,各國政府在震驚的同時必須讓世界感受到他們的反對態度。」
(New York, September 16, 2021)— Hong Kong’s government should drop all charges against the leaders of the civic group that had been holding annual mass vigils commemorating the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre in China, 62 Hong Kong and international human rights groups said today.
On September 9, 2021, the Hong Kong justice secretary charged the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, the group’s chair Lee Cheuk-yan, 64, and the vice-chairs Chow Hang-tung, 36, and Albert Ho, 69, with “inciting subversion.” Police had arrested Chow on September 8, while Lee and Ho have been jailed for their activism since April and May, respectively. Chow, and four other leading members of the group, Tang Ngok-kwan, 53, Simon Leung, 36, Chan To-wai, 57, andTsui Hon-kwong, 72, are separately charged with “failing to comply with notice to provide information.” All five have been denied bail. The prosecutions violate Hong Kong’s obligations under international human rights law to respect the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.
“By arresting vigil organizers, Beijing and Hong Kong authorities are telling the world they’re not only afraid of the most peaceful protests, but also of their own brutal past,” said Sophie Richardson, China. “They should end this political persecution and immediately drop the charges and release the vigil organizers.”
The charges of “inciting subversion” and “failing to comply with notice to provide information” are crimes under Hong Kong’s draconian National Security Law (arts. 23 and 43), which the Chinese government imposed on the city on June 30, 2020. The definitions of these offenses are overly broad and vague. “Subversion” criminalizes any act that seriously “interferes,” “disrupts,” or “undermines” the functioning of the Chinese or Hong Kong governments, a definition that can readily include peaceful protests.
The charges are part of Beijing’s escalating campaign against the Hong Kong Alliance, the organizer of the annual Victoria Park Vigil that commemorates the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre.
Until the Hong Kong police banned the vigils in 2020 and 2021, citing public health grounds, Hong Kong was the only place under Chinese sovereignty where the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre was publicly commemorated every year.
The government stepped up its intimidation campaign in 2021. On June 2, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department declared that the Alliance’s “June 4th Museum,” which focuses on the Tiananmen crackdown, had violated the law for not having a “public entertainment” permit, compelling the Alliance to temporarily close the museum.
On June 4, the police arrested Chow for “inciting unauthorized assembly” after she urged people to mark the Tiananmen Massacre by lighting candles. The police also blocked off the park and stationed thousands of officers throughout the city to prevent protests.
In July, the Hong Kong Alliance laid off its staff and downsized its operations in anticipation of the government’s crackdown on the group. On August 25, police demanded the group’s membership and financial information in an investigation of its alleged “collusion with foreign powers.” After the group refused to provide the information, citing police misuse of power and lack of reasonable cause,the police again arrested Chow, along with the Alliance committee members.
On September 9, police raided the shuttered June 4th Museum and removed some of the exhibits, including photos of previous Victoria Park vigils and an oversized paper cutout of the Goddess of Democracy, a statue that had featured in the 1989 pro-democracy protests in China. On September 10, police froze HK$2.2 million (US$ 282,850) worth of assets of the Alliance. On the same day, the Hong Kong secretary for security informed the Alliance that the government is planning to revoke the Alliance’s registration with the Company Registrar, which will effectively disband the group.
Human rights and fundamental freedoms are enshrined in Hong Kong’s de facto constitution, the Basic Law. These rights are also guaranteed by the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which is incorporated into Hong Kong’s legal framework via the Basic Law and expressed in the Bill of Rights Ordinance. The ICCPR protects the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly, among other basic liberties.
Concerned governments should impose coordinated, targeted sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes, on Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam, Police Chief Raymond Siu, Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung and other Chinese and Hong Kong officials responsible for the attacks on the Hong Kong Alliance, the groups said. Those governments should also issue coordinated public statements expressing concern about attacks on civic groups more generally. Over the long term, they should provide assistance to groups outside Hong Kong and China to archive and publish materials, including slogans, artworks, and political content, that are now banned or barred in Hong Kong, particularly those related to the 1989 Tiananmen Massacre.
“Hong Kong and mainland authorities should not be able to ban commemorations, shutter museums, and jail peaceful critics without paying a price,” Jianli Yang said.
“Governments appalled by the rapidly deteriorating human rights situation in Hong Kong should make their opposition felt.”