Beijing asked to free HK from torture convention

Ambrose Lee said Beijing should consult the SAR government on whether Hong Kong should be released from its obligations under the UN Convention Against Torture. Photo: RTHK

Former security secretary Ambrose Lee has asked China’s top legislative body to start the process of withdrawing Hong Kong from the United Nations Convention Against Torture, citing the ‘high number’ of torture claimants here.

Lee – a member of the National People’s Congress (NPC) – proposed that Beijing can consult the SAR government on whether the territory should be released from the international convention, even though China will stay on as the signatory of the UN treaty. Lee made the proposal on Friday during the ongoing NPC plenary session in Beijing.

He said the flood of torture claimants in Hong Kong has added to the city’s financial and security burden, and freeing the city from its obligations under the convention would be one ‘drastic’ way to deal with the problem if it's not possible to stop the claimants from seeking asylum here

The Chief Executive, CY Leung, had in January suggested that Hong Kong could unilaterally withdraw from the torture convention if necessary, sparking concerns from legal experts and human rights groups.

Lee conceded the move would affect Hong Kong's international image a "little bit". However, he warned that action needs to be taken before the problem grows out of control, citing the example of some European countries who’ve slammed their doors on asylum seekers after being overwhelmed by a flood of refugees.