HK officials behaving like Beijing, Amnesty warns

Journalists have complained of being unfairly targeted by police. File photo: RTHK

Amnesty International says Hong Kong authorities are increasingly adopting the mainland's "vague and all-encompassing" definition of national security, when they violate people's rights to freedom of peaceful assembly, expression and association.



The group said there was a "rapid deterioration" in the city's human rights situation last year, which was dominated by months of sometimes violent anti-government protests stemming from opposition to the now-withdrawn extradition bill.



It said authorities showed apparent thirst for retaliation, accusing police of excessive force at protests and a pattern of arbitrary arrests.



In its latest annual report on human rights in Asia, Amnesty said 2019 was a year of both repression and resistance - with young people at the forefront of people's struggle to protect fundamental freedoms.



People standing up against atrocities were routinely punished, but their determination to speak out made a difference and their efforts to achieve human rights progress in Asia paid off.



The report said that In Taiwan, same-sex marriage became legal following tireless campaigning by activists. In Sri Lanka, lawyers and activists successfully campaigned against the resumption of executions.



It pointed out that Brunei was forced to backtrack on enforcing laws to make adultery and sex between men punishable by stoning, while former Malaysian prime minister Najib Razak took the stand on corruption charges for the first time.