Gov’t refutes US Congress on human rights accusations

The Macau government has condemned accusations on human rights in the latest US Congressional-Executive Commission on China (CECC) report released in the US late last week.

The local government expressed a “strong opposition to the unsubstantiated accusations by the United States of America, making reference to the United Nations Human Rights Council’s latest periodic review of Macau and amendments introduced to the city’s Law on Safeguarding National Security.”

“The report recently released by the US adopts a selective approach of the concluding observations of the Human Rights Council, in a typical practice of quoting parts of the report out of context that does not gain popularity,” it said.

Refuting the accusations, the local government said that “In July 2022, the MSAR (Macau Special Administrative Region) underwent a review by the United Nations Human Rights Council on the implementation of provisions related to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”

“In its concluding observations, the Human Rights Council raised some suggestions and welcomed the legislative and policy measures taken by the MSAR Government in relevant areas and appreciated the constructive dialogue with the MSAR Government delegation as part of the periodic report process.”

The local government addressed CECC’s comments about recent amendments to the National Security Law that were said to be eroding the guarantees and liberties of the people. 

The local government said the amendments to the Law on Safeguarding National Security “drew extensively from legislative experience in other jurisdictions, while fully considering Macau’s legal traditions and social realities, and strictly adhering to international human rights conventions.” 

It added, that the “Work relating to the safeguarding of national security has been carried out in strict accordance with legal provisions and due process.”

“A balance has been struck in order to safeguard the fundamental rights and freedoms of residents, while preventing and punishing acts that endanger national security.”

The response closed with a call for the US Congress as well as other committees to “respect facts, eliminate biases and cease interfering in the internal affairs of the MSAR using human rights as an excuse .

The UN committee’s original July 2022 report said Macau lacked legal safeguards against police surveillance abuses, threats to journalists and the repression of any public demonstrations or other public meetings.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner’s Office of the Chinese Foreign Ministry in the Macau SAR also strongly opposed the US report.

A spokesperson for the Commissioner’s Office said yesterday that the amendment and implementation of the SAR’s national security law further “strengthened the institutional foundation of national security and provided stronger protection for the legitimate rights and freedoms of residents.”

The spokesperson pointed out that the US side should reflect on its own “law enforcement and human rights violations and immediately stop interfering in Macau’s affairs and China’s internal affairs at large.”