The U.S. Department of State released its latest Country Reports on Human Rights on March 30, devoting a section to the systematic destruction of Hong Kong‘s freedom and autonomy by Chinese authorities in violation of international commitments.
The report cites a number of significant human rights violations facing Hong Kong, including arbitrary detention and violent treatment of protesters by Hong Kong police; tight controls on the Internet, freedom of speech, press, peaceful assembly, and association; politically motivated reprisals against individuals outside of Hong Kong; and politically motivated charges and restrictions on Hong Kong individuals leaving Hong Kong.
In addition, the State Department report expressed concern that Hong Kong’s elections have been heavily interfered with and that Hong Kong citizens “cannot peacefully change their government through free and fair elections.
The report notes that China has established a national security agency that is above existing Hong Kong laws and lacks public oversight, and has sent Chinese national security personnel to infiltrate Hong Kong. The report said “it is uncertain whether Hong Kong is capable of maintaining control of these agencies,” and criticized the government for failing to take effective measures to punish officials who violate human rights, refusing to listen to the community and ignoring public calls for an independent commission on police brutality.
The Hong Kong government said on the 31st that it opposed the report’s criticism of Hong Kong, and said that human rights in Hong Kong are protected by law and that foreign governments should not interfere in Hong Kong’s internal affairs.
The U.S. State Department submits an annual human rights report to Congress, detailing the human rights situation in China, Russia and nearly 200 other countries, to inform lawmakers in their deliberations on legislation and other decisions.
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