Govt mum on our probe proposal: Bar Association

Govt mum on our probe proposal: Bar Association

A Bar Association official said on Wednesday that they haven't heard anything yet from the government on a detailed proposal they submitted on how an independent inquiry could be set up to look into the anti-government protests and allegations surrounding them.



The lawyers' body submitted the report last week.



The association suggested that an inquiry into the events from June should cover 15 major protests up to November, and review 10 areas of concern, including the use of force by both the police and protesters.



A member of the council governing the Bar Association, Erik Shum, said they are asking Chief Executive Carrie Lam to reconsider her stance.



"As far as we are concerned, the whole matter boils down to whether justice will be done, to the police and protesters," he said.



"Police, if they are free of use of excessive force, their acts should be exonerated. On the part of the protesters, a lot of people said they have used excessive force and they were subsidised (sic) from other foreign countries. If there was an independent commission of inquiry into all these matters, then both sides would benefit," said Shum.



He said that Carrie Lam's blank denial that there is police brutality in the city does not help, as the public will not believe this and public perception is an important factor in this matter.



Shum told RTHK's Janice Wong that if Lam had not seen any evidence of brutality, people who have proof, such as video footage, should present it to her.