CUHK head wants independent probe for abuse claims

Some students broke down in tears as they begged Rocky Tuan to condemn police violence last week. File photo: RTHK

The vice-chancellor of the Chinese University, Rocky Tuan, says he will call on Chief Executive Carrie Lam to initiate an independent investigation into allegations of abuse and misconduct made by some his students against the police force.



In an open letter addressed to CUHK students, Tuan said demands for the government to set up an independent commission of inquiry have “gown louder and louder in the past few weeks.”



Tuan said the government must address these demands, as “only the truth can bring justice to all".



Tuan hosted an emotional and chaotic meeting with CUHK students, staff and alumni last week. This was followed by a two-hour closed-door conversation with students, some of whom had been arrested during the last four months of anti-government protests.



The university leader said that in the face of these “unprecedented challenges to our community”, he recognised that the university might not have done enough for its students.



In an emotional letter, Tuan said he had heard students “loud and clear”, and this brought him no small share of sadness and regret.



He said the university had reached out to the more than 30 students who had been arrested, to find out more about what they had gone through during their arrest and detention.



He said he heard that many were unable to promptly get in contact with their lawyers or families, and some had to wait as long as 78 hours to make a phone call. Others were made to give police statements without a lawyer.



Some were not allowed to sleep or lie down, and others said they weren’t given needed medication while one student with asthma had to wait six hours for treatment.



Tuan relayed that more than one student said they were slapped while giving a statement or during detention, while two students said they were forced to strip naked despite being told there was no need for such a search.



He said these are not isolated incidents, but serious allegations of human rights abuses. He said he felt “sad and anguished” to hear of the physical and mental pain his students had suffered.



“I cannot over-emphasize that, irrespective of why our students were arrested, the police should ensure that the rights of the arrested must not be infringed upon during arrest and detention,” Tuan said.



As for the claims made by one female student who alleged sexual assault by police officers, Tuan said they were in close contact with her and offering their help. He urged the Complaints Against Police Office (CAPO) to take prompt action to investigate her case, “preferably with IPCC [Independent Police Complaints Council] scrutiny.”



Tuan said the university was willing to help students file formal complaints, but understood some were unwilling to take this step, “due to their anxiety towards the police or distrust of the CAPO and the IPCC”. He said that was why he would write to the Chief Executive to call for independent investigations for his students, outside the existing mechanisms.



“Any proven case of improper use of force or violations of human rights by certain police officers must be condemned,” he said.



“The negative sentiments in society have reached an alarmingly critical point. The escalating violence and acts of destruction must stop.” Tuan concluded. “The government must act fast to come up with feasible strategies to solve the problems in order to rekindle hope for the younger generations who are the future of Hong Kong.”