CRUEL AND UNUSUAL

Amnesty Accuses Hong Kong Police of Torturing Protesters

The human-rights organization alleges that police have beaten demonstrators and shone green lasers into their eyes.

Amnesty International—one of the world’s biggest human-rights organizations—has accused Hong Kong police of torturing protesters. Police have been caught on camera using tear gas, water cannons, and rubber bullets against demonstrators during the pro-democracy protests that erupted in Hong Kong three months ago. There’s also evidence that they beat protesters on the ground with batons, and Amnesty said on one occasion police shone green lasers into the eyes of detainees. “Hong Kong’s security forces have engaged in a disturbing pattern of reckless and unlawful tactics against people during the protests,” said Nicholas Bequelin, East Asia director at Amnesty International. “This has included arbitrary arrests and retaliatory violence against arrested persons in custody, some of which has amounted to torture.” Hong Kong police said in a statement that it has used the “minimum force necessary” to control the protests.