The European Parliament today voted for the EU and member states to work towards establishing export control mechanisms to deny China and Hong Kong access to technologies ‘used to violate basic rights’ in response to recent heavy-handed policing of protests in Hong Kong.

Eve Geddie, Director of the Amnesty International European Institutions Office, said that the vote shows “that the international community will not stand by while the Hong Kong police inflicts disproportionate and unlawful violence on peaceful protestors.

“EU member states must now immediately suspend all exports of less lethal crowd control equipment - such as tear gas and rubber bullets - that risk being used unlawfully to threaten legitimate protests.

“In doing so, they would show their commitment to upholding the rights to freedom of expression and peaceful assembly.”

Last weekend, Hong Kong police again used batons and pepper spray on peaceful protesters, including hitting protesters on the head and neck. Journalist movements were limited, and some were pepper sprayed by police. Some police officers hid their IDs deliberately in the protests.

Amnesty is again calling for the Extradition Law Amendment Bill to be officially withdrawn. The excessive use of force by police on 12 June was a violation of international law and standards. The Hong Kong government must establish an Independent Commission of Inquiry to conduct an independent, impartial, effective and prompt investigation into the excessive use of force in this event.