Ronny Tong

Opinion | Hong Kong has no defence when core values like human rights are weaponised

The UN human rights body’s blind condemnation of Hong Kong’s national security law, while remaining silent on a UK bill that would seriously threaten the freedom of its people, suggests a blatant political bias

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Why you can trust SCMP

Ronny Tong

Published: 9:30am, 2 Aug 2022

If you woke up this morning feeling a bit dizzy from reading news reports, I don’t blame you. Welcome to the age of weaponisation of core values like human rights and democracy.

“Weaponisation?”, you may ask. A few years ago, no one knew of such a word. Now, it’s on everyone’s lips. It is generally defined as turning something benign or commonplace into a weapon – and a potent one at that.

A good example is human rights. On July 27, the United Nations Human Rights Committee issued a report on human rights in Hong Kong. It said it was “deeply concerned” about the “lack of clarity” surrounding Hong Kong’s national security law and urged Hong Kong to repeal it. It also accused China of passing the law “without consultation” of the people of Hong Kong.

Some in the know may laugh at this report, but it is no joke. I certainly didn’t find it funny. I was more angry that the committee seemed to have no understanding of “one country, two systems”, human rights, or how the national security law has been applied on the ground in Hong Kong. Most of all, I am angry at the blatant political bias of such an important institution which I revered as a law student.

A woman looks at a promotional banner for the national security law in Hong Kong on June 30, 2020. Photo: AP

The security law is a national law. Under one country, two systems and the Basic Law governing Hong Kong’s constitutional order, Beijing has every right to pass a law that protects the entire nation. Under one country, two systems, issues of national security are never within the autonomy of Hong Kong.