Protesters in Hong Kong still held in police custody: take action today
to call for their release!
Dear friends,
Following the demonstrations last saturday in Hong Kong, 14
demonstrators are still held in police custody in and will be up for
trial this friday, the 23d of december. Many of these people are labour
rights advocates and some are from organisations that are CCC allies.
Please find below background information and a sample email, we urge you
to send contact the Hong Kong authorities today and call for the
detainees to be released and the charges to be dropped!
Updates and more information can be found the website of the Hong Kong
Peoples Alliance on the WTO: http://hkpa.does.it/
Background:
On December 17 the Hong Kong police arrested hundreds of activists who
were trying to reach the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in
a demonstration to protest against the policies of the World Trade
Organisation (WTO). At around 5.00 pm, they were stopped by the police,
who used pepper spray, water hoses and eventually, tear gas, to disperse
them. Many demonstrators were injured and some were hospitalized.
Reports from the legal support group and those arrested reveal that many
have been mishandled or beaten by the police and were denied medical
aid, food, water and bathroom facilities.
By now most arrested have been released, but the HK government sent 14
demonstrators to court last night (19 Dec) charging them with unlawful
assembly under the HK Public Order Ordinance. These people include 11
Koreans (including KCTU members), 1 Taiwanese from Coolloud web (a
labour website in Taiwan, 2 Japanese and 1 mainland Chinese (who came to
HK for visit only). The judge rejected bail out request. They are now
put in police custody pending next trial on 23rd Dec. The police might
charge them with more serious offences.
It is extremely important to contact the Hong Kong police and
authorities as soon as possible, before the hearing of the 23d, and call
for those kept in custody to be released, and for the charges to be
dropped. Find below a sample email with contact adresses (you are
encouraged to adapt this to your own words).
SAMPLE EMAIL
To:
Chief Executive of HK: Mr Donald Tsang [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Head of the Security Bureau: Mr Ambrose S.K. LEE at [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Dear Mr Tsang / Mr. Lee
I/we (my organisation) am deeply concerned about the 14 demonstrators
still held in police custody in Hong Kong, following the rally of
december 17. I/we (my organisation) call upon you to immediately release
them, and drop all the charges.
Over the past few week, dozens of peaceful rallies were organized in
Hong Kong, and the international community was deeply moved by the
sincere actions and expressed their strong support to the Korean
peasants. During the whole demonstration, no shop and public property
was damaged, it is totally misleading and completely untrue that the
police force has described the incident as "riot".
I/we (my organisation) regret that police has used unnecessary excessive
force during the rally of december 17. Tear gas was applied without
prior warning to the public and reporters on the spot. We regret the
fact that considerable numbers of demonstrators and Hong Kong citizens
were injured by water cannon and tear gas and express our deepest
concern to all injured people.
Many international NGO and trade union representatives were present in
Hong Kong during the WTO conference, and joined in the rallies and
actions together with those presently kept in custody. The international
community will continue to closely monitor the situation of the
detainees and the actions of the Hong Kong authorities. We sincerely
hope you will hear our call and release all detainees unconditionally
and without pressing charges.
Sincerely,
--
"If we fight, we may not always win, but if we don't fight, we will surely lose."
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SAVAD RAHMAN
subeditor,MADHYAMAM daily,
pooppalam, perinthalmanna,kerala,
india
cell:(91)-9846085873
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