由下而上建立值得人民信賴的司法

譴責香港政府暴力清場 踐踏傘下人權

香港雨傘運動邁入60日之際,旺角佔領區位於彌敦道、砵蘭街間的亞皆老街路段竟遭六千多名警力以暴力手段強力清場,全副武裝的警員以警棍威嚇、毆打不願離開的民眾,甚至以催淚水槍對付示威者,仗著警力優勢將手無寸鐵的市民打得頭破血流,現場至少八十名抗爭者遭到逮捕,其中包括專上學生聯會副祕書長岑敖暉與學民思潮召集人黃之鋒,更驚傳黃之鋒等人在警局遭到毆打。

香港政府不惜動用武力血濺旺角,模糊了雨傘運動的焦點,踐踏港人以和平理性的方式爭取真普選的合理訴求。根據聯合國人權事務委員會於2013年針對香港的ICCPR結論性意見指出,香港政府應就如何實行普遍與平等的選舉制度,並確保所有公民在新的選舉制度中,能跟據ICCPR第25條享有選舉與被選舉的權利,建議撤回對ICCPR第25條第2項的保留。然而,港府的作為全然背離了委員會的意見,更無視香港公民長期以來追求人權與民主體制的信念。而港府指揮警方以警棍、警盾、胡椒噴霧、催淚劑等無差別的暴力驅離和平佔中的群眾,甚至竟在逮捕時,私刑毆打被逮捕者,均嚴重違反ICCPR第7條規定禁止酷刑或殘忍、不人道之處遇。

人民以和平、理性與非暴力的方式上街表達訴求,不僅是言論自由與集遊權的核心,更是普世肯認的基本人權價值,在社會的民主與多元層面扮演相當重要的角色。如今,對於公權力的囂張蠻橫、警方淪為打手的場景於香港再次上演;咫尺之隔的台灣,今年走過324行政院事件、428反核行動遭受當權者鎮壓,赤裸裸、變本加厲的國家暴力讓我們深感痛心,更強烈譴責國家機器膽敢如此目無法治、踐踏人權。

針對香港政府與警方的失控的行徑,身為台灣的社運團體,我們提出以下聲明:

  1. 香港政府與警方立刻停止暴力行為,切勿再傷害任何一位抗爭者
  2. ​​香港政府應迅速調查並審判對群眾施暴​者​之責任
  3. 香港政府應積極正視運動訴求,落實真普選

發起團體

台灣人權促進會、人權公約施行監督聯盟、民間司法改革基金會、台灣廢除死刑推動聯盟

共同聲援團體

台灣北社、台灣性別不明關懷協會、台灣少年權益與福利促進聯盟、社團法人台灣永社、社團法人台灣公民媒體文化協會、華人民主書院、華人民主文化協會、台灣同志諮詢熱線協會、東吳大學人權學程、張佛泉人權研究中心、人本教育基金會、婦女新知基金會、環境法律人協會、台灣醫社、台灣守護聯盟、阿扁聯誼會、政治大學第三部門研究中心、台灣促進和平基金會(持續連署中…)

Joint Statement Condemning the Violent Crackdown on the Peaceful Pro-Democracy Protestors in Hong Kong

translator: David Wu
proofread: Shaina Wang

On the sixtieth day of the Umbrella Movement, protesters at Mong Kok (旺角) were violently cracked down and forcedly evicted by the overwhelming force of more than six-thousand policemen. The heavily-armed police force cleared off the peaceful and un-armed protesters with batons and tear-gas guns. More than eighty protestors were arrested, including the Vice Secretary-General of HKFS Joshua Wong (黃之鋒) and the Convener of Scholarism Lester Shum(岑敖暉). Evidence shows that Joshua Wong was beaten in the police office.

The bloody crack-down by the Hong Kong government in Mong Kok not only missed out the demands put forward by the Umbrella Movement, but also trampled on the peaceful pursuit of the universal suffrage. According to the ICCPR Conclusion Observation and Recommendations of Hong Kong’s periodic review 2013, the Hong Kong Government should ‘take all necessary measures to implement universal and equal suffrage in conformity with the Covenant as a matter of priority for all future elections…. It should ensure…all its citizens, under the new electoral system…the right to vote and to stand for election in compliance with article 25 of the Covenant.’ Nevertheless, Hong Kong government’s reaction, has not only departed from UN Human Rights Committee’s recommendation, but also has ignored the everlasting belief on human rights and democracy in every citizen’s mind. The violent crack-down on the peaceful protestors with batons, shields, pepper-sprays, and tear-gas as well as physically abusing the protestors during arrest and detention by the HK government have violated the 7th Act of ICCPR which states that ‘No one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.’

The peaceful, reasonable and non-violent protest and demonstration are not only the core of the freedom of expression and the right to assembly but also the universal value of fundamental human rights, which plays the key role in pluralistic and democratic societies. Today, the outrageous arrogance of public sectors and the abuse power by police have again been rampant on the streets in Hong Kong, which reminds us the violent crack-down at government headquarters on 24 March and the anti-nuclear-plant movement on 28 April in Taiwan this year. With deep sadness, let us severely condemn the abuses of state power and violation of human rights and stand for the rule of law and the people in HK.

In regard to the unlawful behaviours of the HK state authority, we, the human rights organisations, jointly urge the HK government:

  1. To stop any act of violence and to ensure no further harm on any of these protesters.
  2. To investigate the abuse of state power and seek the accountabilities of the abusers immediately.
  3. To face and properly respond to the appeal for the true universal suffrage in HK put forward by the Umbrella Movement.

Joint Statement by: 
Taiwan Association for Human Rights (TAHR) 
Covenants and Conventions Watch 
Judicial Reform Foundation 
Taiwan Alliance to End Death Penalty