Date: Monday, 8 March, 2021

Time: 7 PM – 8.30 PM (ICT)/ 1 – 2.30 PM(CET)

Venue: Zoom / Facebook Live and Twitter Live via FORUM-ASIA

Registration: http://bit.ly/UNHRCHK

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Democracy in Hong Kong is on the edge of collapse as Beijing increased suppression through the passing of the National Security Law (NSL) leading to aggressive crack down on the democracy movement. Civic freedoms are undermined as media and advocates are met with strong retaliation for any criticism toward the Hong Kong administration leading to increased self-censorship by media, human rights defenders, activists, opposition actors and civil society.

As of 31 January 2021, Hong Kong Watch has reported 10,294 people have been arrested for protesting with 2,300 charged.

It is vital that the international community show strong support for Hong Kong through solidarity, diplomatic pressure and international action as civil society organisations urge Member and Observer States of the UN Human Rights Council to call on Hong Kong and Chinese authorities to ensure the protection of fundamental human rights in Hong Kong in line with international human rights law.

Speakers: 

• The Right Honourable, Helena Ann Kennedy, Baroness Kennedy of The Shaws, Director of the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI)
• H.E. Jose Ramos Horta, Former President of Timor Leste, Chairperson of the World Movement for Democracy
• Aileen Calverley, Co-Founder, Hong Kong Watch
• Joey Siu, Associate of Hong Kong Watch, Adviser, Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China (IPAC)

Moderated by Soo Yon Suh, Program Manager, Asia Democracy Network

Organised by FORUM-ASIA, Asia Democracy Network (ADN),  Hong Kong Watch, Front Line Defenders, CIVICUS and the International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), this side event aims to enhance the visibility of and call for greater international attention on the human rights situation in Hong Kong.

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Media contact:

For more information or to set up an interview with any of the speakers, please contact Melissa Ananthraj, Communication and Media Programme Manager, FORUM-ASIA at [email protected]

About the organisers:

• The Asian Forum for Human Rights and Development (FORUM-ASIA)is a Bangkok-based regional network of 81 member organisations across 21 Asian countries, with consultative status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council, and consultative relationship with the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights. Founded in 1991, FORUM-ASIA works to strengthen movements for human rights and sustainable development through research, advocacy, capacity-development and solidarity actions in Asia and beyond. It has sub-regional offices in Geneva, Jakarta, and Kathmandu. forum-asia.org
• Asia Democracy Network (ADN) works to promote and advance democratization and democratic governance at all levels of society through effective solidarity and cooperation among civil society organizations and democracy advocates in Asia. ADN is committed to building a just, equitable and sustainable community of democratic societies in Asia, where all human rights of all individuals, groups and peoples are fully respected and realized.adnasia.org/
• Front Line Defenders was founded in Dublin in 2001 with the specific aim of protecting human rights defenders at risk, people who work, non-violently, for any or all of the rights enshrined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights(UDHR). Front Line Defenders addresses the protection needs identified by HRDs themselves. frontlinedefenders.org
• CIVICUS is a global alliance of civil society organisations and activists dedicated to strengthening citizen action and civil society throughout the world. The CIVICUS Monitor is a research tool that provides close to real-time data on the state of civil society and civic freedoms in 196 countries. The data is generated through a collaboration with more than 20 civil society research partners. www.civicus.org/
• Hong Kong Watch is a UK-based registered charity which researches and monitors threats to Hong Kong’s basic freedoms, the rule of law and autonomy as promised under the ‘one country, two systems’ principle which is enshrined in the Basic Law and the Sino-British Joint Declaration.  hongkongwatch.org
• The International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) works with the global legal community to promote and protect human rights and the independence of the legal profession worldwide. www.ibanet.org