the provisions of the Joint Declaration. It was promulgated on 4 April by the Chinese National People's Congress after nearly 5 years' work by the Basic Law Drafting Committee,
composed of Hong Kong and mainland Chinese members.
BILL OF RIGHTS
The Hong Kong Government have drafted a Bill of Rights which, following a two month public consultation period, was introduced into the Legislative Council on 25 July. It will
shortly receive its Second Reading and is expected to become
law in the New Year. The aim of the Bill is to give clear
effect in a single local law to the International Covenant
on Civil and Political Rights as applied to Hong Kong. Once the Bill has been passed, anyone who believes their rights
under the Covenant have been infringed will be able to seek
redress in the local courts. Both the Joint Declaration and
Article 39 of the Basic Law provide for the continued application of the Covenant to Hong Kong after 1997.
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