Foreign Expert Panel Exits Hong Kong Police Probe, WSJ Reports

Riot police stand guard in front of a Bank of China Ltd. branch following the "Thanksgiving Day Assembly for Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act" in the Central district of Hong Kong, China, on Thursday, Nov. 28, 2019. Donald Trump signed legislation expressing U.S. support for Hong Kong protesters, prompting China to threaten retaliation just as the two nations get close to signing a phase one trade deal. , Photographer: Chan Long Hei/Bloomberg

Melissa Cheok, Bloomberg News

Dec 10, 2019

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(Bloomberg) -- A panel of foreign experts who were recruited to oversee objectivity of a probe into allegations of excessive force by Hong Kong police has stepped down after raising concerns that the body leading the probe doesn’t have sufficient powers and investigative capabilities, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

  • Panel exited after concerns not addressed
    • Among limitations: Independent Police Complaints Council can’t summon witnesses or compel police to provide evidence, WSJ says; public complaints must also be filed with police first before they are passed on to IPCC
    • Panel decided to step aside after talks with IPCC failed to yield an agreement on a process in which the experts could support probe
  • NOTE: Hong Kong Poll Shows More Are Dissatisfied with Police Than PLA

To contact the reporter on this story: Melissa Cheok in Singapore at mcheok2@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Niluksi Koswanage at nkoswanage@bloomberg.net, Derek Wallbank

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