His Excellency António Guterres GCC GCL

Secretary General
United Nations
New York, NY 10017
United States of America 2 June 2020

Dear Secretary General,

We are writing regarding the erosion of the rule of law and the increasingly serious and urgent human rights
situation in Hong Kong. We take this step together as legislators who serve as the chairs of Foreign Affairs
committees in the Parliaments of Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. We are keenly
aware of our nations’ long-standing relationship with the territory, including our citizens’ positions as judges
in the Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal. Consequently, we feel our countries have a particular interest in the
welfare and legal rights of the people in the territory.

For Beijing to impose the Security Law on Hong Kong, without the direct participation of its people,
legislature or judiciary, is a breach of the legally binding agreement between the UK and China which
provides that rights and freedoms, including those of the person, of the press, of assembly, of association
and others, will be ensured by law in Hong Kong. Article 27 of Hong Kong’s Basic Law states that "Hong
Kong residents shall have freedom of speech, of the press and of publication; freedom of association, of
assembly, of procession and of demonstration; and the right and freedom to form and join trade unions, and
to strike". The Sino-British Joint Declaration also provides that the two United Nations covenants on human
rights (the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights) shall remain in force.

Our concerns are heightened at this time in the light of the Chinese Communist Party’s record of abuses
when faced with dissent from its rule, such as the Tiananmen Square massacre which occurred 31 years
ago this week. We believe it is imperative that the international community move rapidly to ensure there is a
mechanism for observing and transparent reporting on the impact of the new law on what are currently legal
freedoms in Hong Kong.

We have each written to the Prime Minister of our nation and jointly to you, Secretary General, to ask that
you actively collaborate in order that the United Nations Human Rights Council approve a mandate for the
establishment of a United Nations Special Envoy for Hong Kong.

We have a collective responsibility. The Joint Declaration is an international treaty lodged with the UN, and
we are countries who share the Common Law and desire to uphold the integrity of the justice system.

We respectfully ask that you work with the United Nations Human Rights Council to provide a mandate to a
Special Envoy for Hong Kong, ideally at the 44th Regular Session later this month or via a Special Session
convened for this specific purpose.

Yours sincerely,

Senator the Hon David Fawcett Michael Levitt MP

Chair, Joint Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs, Chair, Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and
Defence and Trade International Development
Australian Parliament Canadian Parliament | Parlement du Canada

Simon O’Connor MP Tom Tugendhat MP

Chair, Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee Chair, Foreign Affairs Committee
New Zealand Parliament United Kingdom Parliament