UN watchdog faults Hong Kong on reforms

A United Nations rights watchdog today pressed Hong Kong to enact democratic reforms, saying moves so far fell short of what was needed.
Amid weeks of mass pro-democracy protests and roadblocks in the semi-autonomous Chinese city, the UN Human Rights Committee said Hong Kong authorities had failed to properly heed its calls for change.
"It's clear that a C1 grade is appropriate, since we have received a response, but from the response it appears that no actions have been taken that implement our recommendation," said committee member Cornelis Flinterman, a Dutch human rights expert.
The committee oversees respect for global rules on civil and political rights, and submits governments to regular review.

Hong Kong's turn came in 2013. It was given a year to report back to the committee, which grades governments' responses from A down to E.
During the 2013 review, the UN body urged Hong Kong to "take all necessary measures to implement universal and equal suffrage".

Last year, Hong Kong told the committee that it could grant equal voting rights in time for its 2017 chief executive elections and for the 2020 elections to its legislative council.
But the UN panel expressed concern about the "lack of a clear plan to institute universal suffrage and to ensure the right of all persons to vote and to stand for election without unreasonable limitations".

Hopes for genuine democracy in the former British colony were dashed in August when China's National People's Congress, or parliament, ruled that candidates for the 2017 leadership election would be chosen by a pro-Beijing committee.
The 2017 vote will mark the first direct election for the post of Hong Kong chief executive, and activists want the public to have the right to nominate candidates.