Hong Kong: An international panel of experts hired to advise Hong Kong on the police response to huge pro-democracy protests announced on Wednesday they were quitting, saying the watchdog was not fit for purpose "in a society that values freedoms and rights”.
The group’s damning conclusion is a blow to Hong Kong’s government, which has insisted its Independent Police Complaints Commission is capable of holding the force to account over snowballing claims of brutality.
"We ultimately concluded that a crucial shortfall was evident in the powers, capacity and independent investigative capability of IPCC,” the experts said. Critics have long charged the body lacks adequate powers. (AFP)
The group’s damning conclusion is a blow to Hong Kong’s government, which has insisted its Independent Police Complaints Commission is capable of holding the force to account over snowballing claims of brutality.
"We ultimately concluded that a crucial shortfall was evident in the powers, capacity and independent investigative capability of IPCC,” the experts said. Critics have long charged the body lacks adequate powers. (AFP)