港警兩度向清真寺發射藍色水炮 印度協會前主席中椒 民陣強烈譴責 警方稱誤中

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香港警察的水炮車今天下午向位於尖沙咀的九龍清真寺及門外聊聊可數的市民,兩度發射藍色水炮,印度協會前主席Mohan Chugani、一位融樂會香港成員、立法會議員譚文豪和多名市民中胡椒水受傷,清真寺前的階梯染成一大片藍色。民陣發表中英文聲明,強烈讉責警方的行徑。事後,一批市民自發到現場協助清理受污染的清真寺建築物。

警方晚上在Facebook發文,表示是誤中清真寺,事後已立即聯絡清真寺首席教長及穆斯林社區領袖解釋。

警方稱,今日下午四時許,曾調配人群管理特別用途車輛驅散彌敦道一帶的暴徒。當駛至九龍清真寺附近時,警方一度使用顏色水作驅散,但在過程中,顏色水誤中九龍清真寺的正門及大閘。貼文強調,一直以來,警隊與九龍清真寺及在港的穆斯林社群保持良好關係。警方絕對尊重宗教自由及會盡一切能力保護所有宗教建築物。

不過,警方所說的「誤中」看來不成立,從上述影片可見,水炮車是駛到清真寺外,停下來才發射水炮,而且是發射兩次。

民陣聲明全文如下:

今日約下午四時三十分,香港警察以水炮車在九龍大遊行期間清場時途經彌敦道,以九龍清真寺為目標,以藍色水射擊清真寺和寺外人群。印度協會前主席Mohan Chugani、一位融樂會香港成員、多位市民及立法會議員譚文豪在清真寺外被水炮車射中,目前正前往醫院驗傷。民陣深切慰問因保護清真寺而受傷的兄弟姊妹,更對警方行徑表示強烈譴責!

根據媒體報導片段,當時清真寺外只有少數人群逗留,警察如要驅散人群,根本無需動用水炮車。但警方無視現場實際情況,並無視宗教場所的莊嚴,以水炮車猛力射水,傷害途人之餘更殃及清真寺的設施,足證香港警察濫用武力,侮辱宗教場所,破壞社會和諧。

尊重宗教及宗教場所,是基本公民德性,亦是文明社會的常識。然而,香港警察在大型公眾集會清場時侮辱和輕蔑宗教,早有先例。在6月12日警方於立法會清場時,已有警員出言不遜,挑釁在場牧師,「叫耶穌落嚟見我哋」。

聯合國《世界人權宣言》第18條《公民及政治權利公約》第18條明確保障宗教自由;聯合國人權事務委員會在《第22號一般性意見》(General Comment №22)中闡釋「思想、良心和宗教自由」(《公民權利和政治權利國際公約》第18條)時指出,人「以禮拜、戒律、躬行及講授表示其宗教或信仰之自由」,當中「禮拜」所包含的,不只是指涉禮儀行動,更包括宗教場所(第4段)。是以保護宗教場所的完整和安全,是保障宗教信仰自由不可也缺的一部分。香港《基本法》和《人權法》,亦按國際標準,保障宗教信仰自由。但今日香港警察的行徑,不單相違國際準則,也反映香港警察的野蠻。

宗教多元與和諧是文明社會和自由社會的基礎。我們對香港警察缺乏常識、宗教敏感度感到遺憾。民陣嚴正要求警務處處長向九龍清真寺、各宗教群體以及香港社會道歉。

民間人權陣線
2019年10月20日

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Today at 4.30pm, the Hong Kong police targeted Kowloon Mosque and Islamic Centre with water cannon in Nathan Road, and shot at the Mosque as well as the people outside. Mohan Chugani, the former Chairman of Indian Association, a member of UNISON, pro-democracy lawmaker Jeremy Tam and several citizens were injured and sent to hospital now. We send our best regard to them who stood outside and protect the Mosque, and condemn the police use of water cannon against the Mosque.

As we found in the videos from media sources, there were only few people outside the Mosque. It is totally unnecessary to disperse the crowd by using water cannon. However, the police officers did not consider the circumstance as well as the dignity of the place of religious worship. The use of water cannon caused injuries of citizens and damaged the Mosque. It demonstrates the police officers are abusing their power and force to insult place of religious worship, and thus put social harmony at risk.

Respect for religion and their places of worship is a fundamental civic virtue and common sense in civilised society. It is not the first instance of police humiliating religious practice in Hong Kong. On 12 June 2019, when the police officers cleaned up the protest site outside Legislative Council Complex, one police officers quarrelled with a protestant minister and attempted to provoke him by saying “ask Jesus coming down to meet us”.

The UN Declaration of Human Rights and the UN International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights protects the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion (article 18). Furthermore, according to the CCPR General Comment (no.22) on ICCPR Article 18, “the concept of worship extends to ritual and ceremonial acts giving direct expression to belief, as well as various practices integral to such acts, including the building of places of worship” (para. 4). To protect the integrity of places of religious worship is an essential part to protect right to freedom of religion. The Hong Kong Basic Law as well as Bill of Rights Ordinance guarantees right to freedom of religion in accordance with the international standard. However, the police action today certainly violate the international norms, and reflect its barbaric character.

Religious diversity and harmony are basis of society of civilisation and freedom. We regret for Hong Kong police’s lack of common sense and insensitivity to religion. We ask the Police Commissioner to give sincere apology to the Kowloon Mosque and Islamic Centre, religious communities and Hong Kong society.

Civil Human Rights Front
Dated on 20th October 2019


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