World News
Anti-government protesters march in a protest in main Hong Kong, China October 5,2019 REUTERS/Jorge Silva
KUALA LUMPUR (Reuters) – The United Nations human rights chief gotten in touch with Saturday for an independent probe into the violence throughout anti-government demonstrations in Hong Kong, saying the injuries were alarming.
Two teenage protesters were shot while a journalist was permanently blinded in one eye in the past week throughout the worst outbreak of violence after 4 months of discontent in the Chinese-ruled city.
” We are bothered by the high levels of violence connected with some presentations … and likewise alarmed by the injuries to the authorities and protesters, including reporters and protesters shot by law enforcement officers,” U.N. High Commissioner Michelle Bachelet informed a media conference in the Malaysian capital.
Hong Kong need to instantly carry out an “reliable, prompt, independent and unbiased investigation” into acts of violence including the shootings, Bachelet said, including that those responsible should face due process.
” I highly condemn all acts of violence from all sides and I call all those reacting to demonstrations and those taken part in protests to do so in a tranquil and non-violent way,” she stated.
Hong Kong authorities enforced a ban on face masks on Saturday, a day after embattled leader Carrie Lam invoked colonial-era emergency powers in a bid to stem the violence.
In action to the restriction, Bachelet stated face masks ought to not be utilized to provoke violence but cautioned Hong Kong against utilizing the restriction to target specific groups or cut the right to flexibility of assembly.
” Flexibility of peaceful assembly must be taken pleasure in without restriction to the best degree possible, however on the other hand, we can decline individuals who use masks to provoke violence,” she stated.
Reporting by Rozanna Latiff; Modifying by Muralikumar Anantharaman
