ITUC Slams Hong Kong Administration for Placing Bounties on Human Rights Defenders and Trade Unionists
In a concerning development, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Authorities have been criticized for their excessive and unjustified extension of the National Security Law beyond their borders. This expansion has targeted trade unionists, human rights defenders, and pro-democracy advocates, raising doubts about their commitment to upholding international obligations.
The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) has strongly urged the Chief Executive Officer of HKSAR to honor and fully implement the recommendations and conclusions put forth by the International Labour Organization (ILO) supervisory bodies and United Nations Human Rights bodies. This includes adherence to these recommendations concerning the National Security Law.
Furthermore, the ITUC has called for the immediate release of all individuals who have been arrested and imprisoned on allegations related to the exercise of their civil liberties, such as freedom of assembly, expression, press, and association. This also extends to those participating in pro-democracy activities.
On July 4, 2023, HKSAR authorities announced, under the framework of the National Security Law, the issuance of arrest warrants for eight human rights defenders and pro-democracy advocates. Alarmingly, they offered a reward of HK$ one million for each of these individuals.
Luc Triangle, Acting General Secretary of ITUC, expressed deep concern, stating, “We strongly condemn the HKSAR authorities’ criminalization and militarization of trade union and democracy-promoting activities. It is particularly troubling, given the global risks faced by trade unionists, human rights defenders, and pro-democracy advocates, that HKSAR authorities have sanctioned the issuance of bounties on these eight individuals for merely exercising their civil liberties and trade union rights.”
“As a special administrative region of China, a member State of the ILO, HKSAR is bound to uphold and champion fundamental principles and rights at work, including freedom of association. They must also show the utmost respect for the authoritative guidance provided by the ILO’s supervisory bodies.”
The ITUC’s letter of protest outlines recent findings by the ILO and other UN bodies regarding the abuse of workers’ and trade union rights by HKSAR. It emphasizes that applying the National Security Law extraterritorially and offering bounties on the heads of pro-democracy advocates and human rights defenders for alleged crimes related to their exercise of civil liberties and trade union rights is not only an overreach but also highly disproportionate. Such actions have a coercive and chilling effect, violating the obligations of HKSAR under the ILO Constitution and Convention 87.
