Security Law Protects Rights, Hong Kong Tells UN

A Hong Kong government delegation to the United Nations Human Rights Committee said on Thursday people's rights and freedoms are protected under the national security law.

At the meeting in Geneva, some members questioned if the legislation is consistent with the government's obligations to protect human rights under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR).

The head of the Hong Kong delegation, Constitutional and Mainland Affairs Secretary Erick Tsang, said via video link that the national security law introduced by Beijing in 2020 upholds the rights and freedoms of people and high degree of autonomy of the SAR.

"It is a well-known principle that many rights recognised in ICCPR are not absolute and may be subject to restrictions as provided by law if it's necessary for protection of national security, public safety, order and rights and freedoms of others, etc," he said.

Tsang added the law is necessary as it has helped restore law and order after the social unrest in 2019.

Deputy security secretary Apollonia Liu pointed out that local courts have ruled that the colonial-era sedition law is consistent with the provisions of the Basic Law and the Bill of Rights.