Date : 2019.07.09

IMADR delivered the oral statement on “Racist hate speech against minority protesters in Hong Kong” at the 41st session of the Human Rights Council. Whole text can be read below or download here. 

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Oral Statement: 41st session of the Human Rights Council

Item 9: General Debate

9 July 2019

Speaker: Taisuke KOMATSU

Thank you Mr. President,

We express concerns on reports that protesters from minority backgrounds in Hong Kong have been subject to racist hate speech, in particular in the internet, and the Hong Kong government has failed to address such racist manifestations targeting minorities who were simply exercising their right to dissent against an extradition bill. While the bill is currently discontinued, such racist hate speech and the lack of responses from the government may have discouraged minorities from standing for their human rights and fundamental freedoms.

We wish to remind that last year the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) expressed concerns on racist hate speech against minorities in Hong Kong, especially South Asians, via traditional and social media, and the failure of the Hong Kong government to take appropriate actions.[1] We reiterate the Committee’s recommendation that the government should publicly condemn racist hate speech and hate crimes.[2]

The recent launch of the UN Strategy and Plan of Action against Hate Speech[3] is encouraging. For a long time, civil society actors around the world have been working tirelessly to defeat racist hate speech. We call on all States at this Council to meaningfully cooperate with civil society, in particular human rights organisations and those belonging to affected groups, for effective implementation of the Action Plan.

Thank you Mr. President.

[1] CERD/C/CHN/CO/14-17, paragraph 15 (d)

[2] CERD/C/CHN/CO/14-17, paragraph 16 (e)

[3]https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/documents/UN%20Strategy%20and%20Plan%20of%20Action%20on%20Hate%20Speech%2018%20June%20SYNOPSIS.pdf