Hong Kong officials, legal experts, and policy advisors have pushed back against comments made by some Western countries and experts at the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) meeting in Geneva. They argued that unfounded and inaccurate remarks about Hong Kong stem from misconceptions and a lack of understanding of the situation in the city.
During the UNHRC meeting, the UK, the US, and several other nations criticized China’s human rights record, with some recommending the repeal of Hong Kong’s National Security Law (NSL) and calling for the dismissal of charges against anti-China figure Jimmy Lai. Hong Kong experts dismissed these criticisms, highlighting the hypocrisy of Western nations with their own stringent national security laws.
Experts noted that the human rights records of these Western countries are far from flawless, making their criticism of Hong Kong surprising. They described the attacks on Hong Kong as “vacuous, sinister, and shameless,” predicting limited impact beyond the UNHRC.
Chief Secretary for Administration Eric Chan Kwok-ki addressed the Universal Periodic Review Working Group of the UNHRC, stating that the NSL for Hong Kong was enacted in response to the violence and disruptions in 2019. He emphasized that the law aimed to restore stability, safety, and citizens’ rights and freedoms during a turbulent period.
The formulation of the NSL is considered China’s internal affair, with legislative processes following a professional, scientific, and comprehensive approach. Hong Kong Legal Exchange Foundation’s Louis Chen criticized countries like the UK and the US, stating that their criticism harms themselves and suggesting they repeal their own national security laws.
Law professor Willy Fu highlighted that Western countries have national security laws with more extensive scope and severity than Hong Kong’s. Fu noted that the UK’s laws allow for warrantless arrests and detention for up to 14 days. Critics argue that the demands for repealing the NSL and releasing Jimmy Lai violate international law and the basic norms of international relations, constituting offenses of obstructing justice and contempt of court.