CHINA: The case against a woman accused of abusing her maid in Hong Kong is transferred to a higher court, while a group campaigning for the rights of domestic helpers call for justice and government reforms
Record ID:
334717
CHINA: The case against a woman accused of abusing her maid in Hong Kong is transferred to a higher court, while a group campaigning for the rights of domestic helpers call for justice and government reforms
- Title: CHINA: The case against a woman accused of abusing her maid in Hong Kong is transferred to a higher court, while a group campaigning for the rights of domestic helpers call for justice and government reforms
- Date: 20th May 2014
- Summary: HONG KONG, CHINA (MAY 20, 2014) (REUTERS) WOMAN ACCUSED OF ABUSING HER MAID, LAW WAN-TUNG, BEHIND A NEWSPAPER AT KWUN TONG COURT PEOPLE WALKING PAST KWUN TONG COURT BUILDING SIGN READING (English/Chinese): "KWUN TONG LAW COURTS BUILDING" HONG KONG FLAG MIGRANT WORKERS PROTESTING OUTSIDE COURT MIGRANT WORKER CHANTING (SOUNDBITE) (English) PROTEST GROUP 'JUSTICE FOR ERWIANA' SPOKESMAN, EMAN VILLANUEVA, SAYING: "For the longest time domestic workers in Hong Kong are considered one of the safest. And, I would say, one of those protected by the law in Hong Kong. The case of Erwiana proves otherwise. It has actually exposed the vulnerability and the kind of exploitation that migrant workers are experiencing." BANNERS OF ERWIANA'S PORTRAIT READING (English): "VICTIM OF SLAVERY" VILLANUEVA LEADING PROTEST (SOUNDBITE) (English) PROTEST GROUP 'JUSTICE FOR ERWIANA' SPOKESMAN, EMAN VILLANUEVA, SAYING: "Well what we are calling for is a comprehensive justice. So we want justice for Erwiana, we want her to win her case, we want her employer to be punished. But at the same time we want her to be compensated for the abuse and suffering she has gone through. We also want to see reforms in the government policies concerning domestic workers because without these policies there will be more Erwianas in the future and there will be no justice." VARIOUS OF VAN CARRYING LAW LEAVING COURT/MEDIA SURROUNDING VAN
- Embargoed: 4th June 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Hong Kong, China
- City:
- Country: Hong Kong
- Reuters ID: LVA2TO6DN5COP3GJPW9NVLF79RMF
- Story Text: The case against a Hong Kong woman charged with assaulting her domestic helper was transferred to a district court on Tuesday (May 20) after several charges against her were dropped and new charges added.
Former beautician Law Wan-tung, 44, arrived at court in sunglasses and a surgical mask, shielding her face from the media with a newspaper.
In January, prosecutors laid seven charges against Law including assault of Indonesian domestic helper Erwiana Sulistyaningsih and two other maids, also from Indonesia. She was freed on bail.
Last month, additional charges were filed, included failing to pay wages for seven months and not allowing public holiday leave or rest days for Erwiana.
On Tuesday, 25 charges were withdrawn and an additional 13 were added -- Law now faces 20 charges in total, ranging from labour issues to criminal intimidation and assault.
Law's bail has been extended until June 10 where she will appear before a district court.
Around 10 supporters of Erwiana from a campaign group called "Justice for Erwiana" gathered outside the court calling for government reforms and justice for the domestic helper.
"For the longest time domestic workers in Hong Kong are considered one of the safest. And, I would say, one of the protected by the law in Hong Kong. The case of Erwiana proves otherwise. It has actually exposed the vulnerability and the kind of exploitation that migrant workers are experiencing," the group's spokesperson Eman Villaneuva said.
Erwiana left Hong Kong in January for Indonesia where her doctors said burns on her body were caused by boiling water.
Grisly photographs of her battered face and body circulating online sparked accusations of "modern-day slavery". Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono described her treatment as torture.
"Well what we are calling for is a comprehensive justice. So we want justice for Erwiana, we want her to win her case, we want her employer to be punished. But at the same time we want her to be compensated for the abuse and suffering she has gone through. We also want to see reforms in the government policies concerning domestic workers because without these policies there will be more Erwianas in the future and there will be no justice," Villaneuva added.
No plea was entered but in January, but defence lawyer Patrick Wong said Law had cooperated fully with police, had no criminal background and that there was no clear evidence of abuse except the claims made by the helpers.
Hong Kong, a former British territory that returned to Chinese rule in 1997, has about 300,000 foreign domestic helpers, most of them from the Philippines and Indonesia.
Time magazine last week named Erwiana in its 100 Most Influential People alongside Russian president Vladimir Putin and Beyonce. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None