A Hong Kong woman who was arrested at an anti-government protest has accused the police of conducting a humiliating and unnecessary strip-search in violation of proper protocol.

The woman, identified only as Ms Lui, made the allegations at a news conference on August 23, 2019.

Lui was dressed in black from head to toe and wore a pair of sunglasses. She was accompanied by legislative councillor Tanya Chan and two lawyers, Olga Choi and Benson Chan.

Was hospitalised shortly after she was arrested at a protest

Lui was arrested at a protest several weeks ago. She was hospitalised shortly afterwards due to injuries sustained at the protest.

Charges were laid against her two days after the arrest, but she had missed her first court appearance since she was still in hospital.

Lui said when she was discharged from the hospital, she changed into her own clothes with a female police officer present in the room.

She said she was supposed to be taken to the court from the hospital, but instead was taken to a nearby police station and confined to a room with two women officers.

Ordered to strip naked

According to Lui, an officer ordered her to remove all of her clothes including her underwear.

When she asked for the reason, and the officer said:

"Because you violated the law, you have to be strip-searched."

Lui complied with the order as she was afraid. She was embarrassed and tried to cover her genitals, but one of the officers hit her hands away, according to her.

She said she was ordered to squat and rise three times and turn around, but was unable to do so due to her injuries.

In her recount, one officer instructed her to spread her legs by tapping her thighs with a pen.

An officer then asked to examine her clothes. According to Lui, the officer did so without wearing gloves. She added:

"The officer opened the door when it was over and I found more than 10 male officers standing outside. I felt so embarrassed, but I managed to hold back my tears."

Chan, her lawyer said that Lui was asked to sign a document agreeing to the search, only after it was conducted, but Lui refused.

Chan said that Lui’s case did not involve any drugs or banned items on her body, and that the search was unreasonable. He continued:

"Lui had already stayed in hospital wearing patient clothing for a few days. Is it possible for her to carry something prohibited? The only conclusion is that it was a blatant humiliation to her."

Chan also added that they would take the case to the Complaints Against Police Office (CAPO), and would file charges of indecent assault and assault against the two women officers.

Police spokesperson says body searches "necessary"

Suzette Foo, the Senior Superintendent of Kowloon East said at a regular police conference on Friday acknowledged that body searches can be uncomfortable and embarrassing, but added:

"I want the public to understand that a body search is necessary and the police have our own considerations. Police have strict guidelines over body searches."

When asked if gloves were required for body searches, Foo said it would be decided by the officers involved.

Superintendent Chia Hsia-yu dismissed Lui's accusations of an unnecessary strip-search, saying that officers had found CCTV footage that showed the woman was not asked to remove all her clothing.

She said in a press conference:

During the body search, our colleague did not use any object to point or pat the woman’s body. Our colleagues did not request her to keep her legs wide open or ask her to squat and stand repeatedly, because our colleague thought it was unnecessary.

She also added that the CAPO has not received any complaint so far.

However, Legislative Councillor Chan criticised the police officials who defended the officers' conduct, saying that their comments were akin to "dropping stones" on the victim.

Chan claimed that there were no CCTVs in the room, and added:

I can’t see that police officers would actually say they did not follow the protocol in the records.

Cover photo via Apple Daily HK/FB.