A Statement from the Alliance of Hong Kong Chinese in the United States
July 28, 1990
The Alliance of Hong Kong Chinese in the United States strongly deplores the Hong Kong Government's prosecution of the six pro-democracy activists leading to their subsequent conviction for the use of loudhailer in a public assembly.
In 1976, the United Kingdom endorsed the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights whereby such endorsement should then be extended to its dependent territories. This covenant permits citizens of the endorsee to use hand-held megaphone in a public assembly.
Fourteen years later, the Hong Kong Government tenaciously chooses to keep the Summary Offenses Ordinance which restricts the use of loudhailer in a public assembly. Despite daily use of loudhailers by teachers, tour-guides etc., the Attorney General of Hong Kong had almost never prosecuted any violators of such obsolete Ordinance.
In May 1990, the Attorney General decided to prosecute six of the pro-democracy activists who took part in a peaceful and lawful'demonstration in February 1990. By induction, the timing of such prosecution easily leads one to suspect the presence of external political influence of such a motive.
We are deeply disturbed and hereby state that:
1. We are baffled by the Attorney General's decision to enforce the Ordinance
discriminatively.
2. We regret that a group of loyal and dedicated citizens were selectively prosecuted
for staging a lawful and peaceful demonstration.
3. We are outraged that the Hong Kong Government selectively enforced an antiquated and exorbitant Ordinance to suppress the freedom of speech and freedom of assembly.
We demand that the Hong Kong Government:
1. Suspend all prosecutions under this Ordinance.
2. Respect the human rights of Hong Kong citizens.
3. Uphold the independence of Hong Kong's executive branch