Press Statement

The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA) strongly condemns the inhumane treatment by the Hong Kong Police against unarmed protestors, during the World Trade Organization (WTO) Ministerial meeting in Hong Kong, on 17th and 18th December 2005.


The Right to peacefully protest is a basic human right, as enshrined in the Declaration on Human Rights Defenders and other UN human rights standards. Hong Kong Police has not only violated this basic right and other fundamental freedoms of assembly and movement, but they have also provoked tensions and conflict between the protestors and Police by resorting to disproportionately violent actions such as tear gas, pepper sprays and water cannons against unarmed and peaceful protestors, in addition to mass arrest and obstruction of protestors from returning to their homes and hotels.


We are aware that the protestors are in Hong Kong to voice their concerns about threats to their livelihoods and to those of other poorer sections of society, particularly farmers, due to the ongoing negotiations of the WTO. Many of them have been trying to engage with their own governments and WTO processes at different levels for a long time. Even though many of the protestors are directly being affected by the ongoing WTO negotiations, they have been denied the opportunity to voice their concerns during the actual conference, thus, they have no choice, but to resort to peaceful street action, which is essentially a legitimate right of all peoples to express concern on matters affecting their lives and those of their communities.


We call on Hong Kong authorities, particularly the Police to immediately release the fourteen activists who are still being detained and respect the right of all peoples to engage in peaceful protests and public actions.



Anselmo Lee

Executive Director