Pro-democracy lawmakers have been blocked from visiting the San Uk Ling Holding Centre near the border with mainland China – a facility which has been used over the past month to detain arrested protesters.
On August 11, Hong Kong police brought 54 arrestees to the centre despite it being relatively far from urban areas. Thirty-one of those detained there were later hospitalised, and six were treated for fractured bones, raising concerns about potential abuse at the site.Pro-democracy camp lawmakers requested a visit to the centre in late August, saying that it should open its doors to the media as well. In a reply to lawmakers last Friday, police dodged the question and said the rights of arrested protesters were fully respected.
“Regarding the claim that police used excessive force against arrested persons on August 11, and that police had unnecessary contact with female detainees, the police had clarified multiple times and rejected the unfounded allegations,” the letter read.
