TNAG-2599-FCO40-3787-Appointment-of-Chris-Patten-as-new-Governor-of-Hong-Kong--Ap-1992 — Page 97

- 7.

Letters Patent, which came into operation on the same day as the Bill of

Rights, says: -

"The provisions of the International Covenant on Civil

and Political Rights, adopted by the General Assembly

of the United Nations on 16th December, 1966, as applied

to Hong Kong, shall be implemented through the laws of

Hong Kong. No law of Hong Kong shall be made after the

coming into operation of the HongKong Letters Patent 1991

(No. 2) that restricts the rights and freedoms enjoyed in

Hong Kong in a manner which is inconsistent with that

Covenant as applied to Hong Kong."

This provision entrenches the Bill of Rights until 1997 when the Letters

Patent will cease to have effect. Thereafter, a provision in the Basic

Law with a similar effect; namely, Article 39 will come into operation.

Commission.

commission.

But the

There have been strong calls in Hong Kong to set up a Human Rights

This has been rejected by the Hong Kong Government.

ICJ, in its report, has also recommended the setting up of such a

The purpose would be to research, inform and educate the

public on human rights issues, advise and assist claimants or potential

claimants for redress under the Bill of Rights, and conciliate disputes

between the Government and citizens under the Bill. I am amongst those

who strongly favour a Human Rights Commission to give full expression to

the Bill.