ITUC condemns brutal suppression of protests in Hong Kong

The ITUC has expressed outrage at the brutal suppression of protests against the proposed extradition law on 12 June. More than a thousand young people had gathered outside the Legislative Council to insist that the demands put forward by more than a million protesters on 9 June to shelve the proposed law. Their peaceful gathering was brutally attacked by police, using rubber bullets, teargas and batons. 72 were injured, two of them severely, and 11 were arrested.

“This completely unacceptable and unwarranted attack is another example of the deteriorating human rights situation in Hong Kong. The ITUC calls on the authorities to respect the fundamental rights of all people in Hong Kong, and fulfil its obligations under international law. The legitimate concerns and demands of the people must not be denied, and the international trade union movement stand in full solidarity with them,” said ITUC General Secretary Sharan Burrow.

The ITUC calls on the government of Hong Kong to immediately drop the controversial amendment of the Fugitive Offenders Ordinance and convene an independent investigation by the judiciary into the violence on 12 June.

The ITUC further supports the call by its affiliate the Hong Kong Confederation of Trade Unions and the civil society movement for a rally and the strike called by them on 16 and 17 June.

Find out more about the 17 June strike here.

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The International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) represents 207 million members of 331 affiliates in 163 countries and territories.

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