由民主黨副主席劉慧卿丶香港人權監察總幹事羅沃啟和中國維權律師關注組執行秘書潘嘉偉等組成的香港民間代表團對國際社會高度關注中國人權狀況表示歡迎。
聯會國人權理事會於今天(2009年2月9日（星期一）)在日內瓦完成審議中國（包括香港及澳門）的人權狀況，多個國家對中國的多項人權問題表示關注，包括欠缺司法獨立和人權律師受到打壓丶死刑制度丶任意拘留和勞教制度丶少數民族特別是西藏的文化和宗教自由問題丶對新聞和言論自由的限制丶童工問題，另外，國際社會亦向中國提出多項建議以保障中國人民的人權，包括批准«公民權利和政治權利國際公約»在中國落實丶取消死刑丶成立符合巴黎原則的人權機構。
在今天聯合國會議上，多達115個國家報名發言，由於時間上的限制，只有60個國家獲2分鐘發言時間，可見國際社會高度關注中國人權狀況。會上多個先進國家，包括澳洲丶加拿大丶捷克丶日本丶荷蘭丶瑞士和瑞典對中國的人權狀況提出批評和建議，在回應和總結時，中國駐日內瓦大使李保東「反對部分國家政治化的發言」，對澳洲的發言更提出嚴厲回應，指「澳洲發表錯誤的言論，表示反對。」
民間代表團對多個國家關注國內的人權狀況表示歡迎，但對香港人權狀況並未受到關注略感失望，代表團對英國政府作為香港前宗主國，在發言時隻字未提香港的民主發展丶釋法等問題，深感遺憾，尚不及小國貝南共和國，向中國政府提及，希望香港和澳門二個特別行政區能維持公民權利，尊重法律。民間代表團認為中國政府對某些國家的建議無需反應過激，我們呼籲中國政府持開放態度，接納建議，改善中國人權狀況。
香港民主黨副主席 劉慧卿9167 6431
香港人權監察總幹事 羅沃啟9788 3394
中國維權律師關注組執行秘書 潘嘉偉9417 3765
二零零九年二月九日
Press release: Welcome Country Representatives’ Concern Over China’s Human Rights Issues during the Universal Periodic Review (UPR)
9 February 2009
The Democratic Party, Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor and China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group welcome many country representatives’ expression of deep concern over China’s human rights record at the first Universal Periodic Review by the UN Human Rights Council.
Many countries, such as Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Japan, the Netherlands and Sweden, recommended that China should make improvement on the issues of harassment of human rights defenders and lawyers, death penalty, re-education through labour and administrative detentions, the cultural and religious rights of ethnic minorities, especially Tibetans, lack of judicial independence, freedom of expression, child labour, early ratification of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the establishment of an independent national human rights institution based on Paris Principles.
In total of 115 countries signed up to speak on China’s UPR, but only 60 managed to make a 2-minute speech each at the 3-hour meeting which started at 9am on 9 February.
At the end of the meeting, Mr Li Baodong, Chinese Ambassador to the United Nations, said he regretted some countries had 「politicised」 certain issues like those on ethnic minorities, and said Australia had made 「ill founded」 and 「politicised」 comments. The Hong Kong NGOs deplore such narrow-mindedness and urged Beijing to listen to opposing views.
We are disappointed that the Hong Kong question was not addressed adequately, but welcome the attention focused on China’s gross human rights violations. Given China’s poor record, the concern is understandable.
However, we are particularly unhappy about the British Government’s failure to take up any issue on Hong Kong. Even Benin has urged China to respect the laws and the rights of the citizens in the two Special Administrative Regions.
Emily Lau, Vice-chairperson, Democratic Party of Hong Kong 9167 6431
Law Yuk-kai, Executive Director, Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor 9788 3394
Patrick Poon, Executive Secretary, China Human Rights Lawyers Concern Group 94173675
