Comment By UN Human Rights Spokesperson Jeremy Laurence On Sentencing Under The National Security Law In Hong Kong

Geneva, 19 November 2024

We are gravely concerned by the use of the National Security Law to convict and impose harsh sentences on 45 people in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region today. The use of such security laws of sweeping breadth results in the criminalisation of conduct protected by human rights to freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, and association.

Beyond the large numbers of accused directly impacted by criminal proceedings, these laws have major chilling effects on others in HKSAR, including the media, legislators, human rights defenders, lawyers, students, academia, bloggers and artists, and other parts of civil society.

The High Commissioner calls for these convictions and sentences to be carefully reviewed by appellate courts against the international human rights obligations binding upon HKSAR. All cases not fully meeting these standards should be quashed.

The UN Human Rights Office, UN Special Procedures and UN human rights treaty bodies have repeatedly called on the HKSAR authorities to repeal the National Security Law. The High Commissioner, again, urges the authorities to repeal the law, and, in the meantime, suspend its application. Any national security legislation must remain clear in scope and definition, and only permit restrictions to human rights that are strictly necessary for a legitimate purpose, and proportionate.

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