TUC General Secretary writes to Chinese Ambassador regarding Hong Kong protests

12 August 2019

Dear Ambassador

Public protests in Hong Kong

On behalf of the Trade Union Congress, the trade union movement in Britain, representing more than 5.5 million working people, I urge the government of the People’s Republic of China to ensure that people in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region are allowed to protest without facing harassment and violence from the police and others, and to desist from pressurising the Hong Kong authorities and employers to harass and repress such protests, for example by sacking workers who have exercised their fundamental and inalienable human rights to freedom of association, freedom of assembly and freedom of speech. Hong Kong is a signatory party to the ICCPR which is currently being infringed by the police; and the UN Basic Principles on the Use of Force and Firearms by Law Enforcement Officials are also being seriously breached.

Our sisters and brothers in the Hong Kong trade union movement have, in common with the people on the streets, made five demands: permanent withdrawal of the extradition law; release of the arrested protesters without charge; withdrawal by the authorities of their characterisation of the 12 June protests as “riots”; an independent investigation into police violence and abuse of power; and implementation of universal suffrage.

We support those demands and believe that the Hong Kong authorities should initiate a dialogue with the people by accepting these demands.

I would be grateful if you could let me know the response of your government.

Yours sincerely

Frances O'Grady
General Secretary