Amnesty Urges Scrutiny Of 'shadowy' Tear Gas Trade

The human rights group Amnesty International is calling for greater scrutiny of what it calls the "shadowy and poorly regulated" global trade of tear gas – saying it's fuelling human rights violations by police against peaceful protesters all over the world.

Considered a “less lethal” response to violent protests, tear gas has become a common weapon used by police all over the world against unruly protesters.

Thousand of rounds were fired in Hong Kong last year as police battled anti-government protesters.

As the protests that started as an agitation against the now-shelved extradition bill morphed into a wider protest, it also started to see more violence, with protesters using Molotov cocktails and police upgrading their arsenal to include water cannon.

Tear gas makes those caught in it cough, and leaves a burning sensation on the skin. Foreign and local journalists, along with many bystanders, have also been on the receiving end in Hong Kong.

Some health experts raised concerns about its use in a crowded city like Hong Kong, but health officials here have said there is no data to prove its use could lead to severe health problems.

Experts acknowledge its use is legitimate when used appropriately, but Amnesty International says that, in practice, it is being used in unintended ways.

Over the past year, it's been researching about what it describes as the misuse of tear gas in Hong Kong and elsewhere in the world, relying primarily on videos shared on social media platforms.

Amnesty put its findings on an interactive, multimedia website – examining the make-up of tear gas and documenting examples of its misuse globally. The Hong Kong government has not released details of the composition of the tear gas used here, saying it will affect police operations.

Patrick Wilcken, an arms control researcher with the group, said they've seen tear gas being used against peaceful protesters, inside hospitals and universities, as well as canisters being fired directly at protesters around the world.

He said there's been an upsurge in the misuse of "less lethal" equipment globally, with police using it repressively to deny people's right to peaceful protest.

Wilcken said compared with other countries and regions, the use of tear gas in Hong Kong was the most high-profile, with many examples of excessive use.

Amnesty views this as a complete and utter disregard for international standards on the use of force, and an abuse of a very potent weapon, he said.

Wilcken said part of the problem is that some officers misunderstand how and when tear gas can be used lawfully, while others choose to ignore such guidance and some have weaponised it. He said part of the solution is to have greater scrutiny over the global trade.

The United Nations is now considering international trade controls on less lethal weapons – and Amnesty is pressing for these measures to include tear gas and other riot control agents.