GENEVA: The UN human rights office voiced deep concern on Monday at the arrest of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai and others under the new security law and urged authorities to ensure that the legislation is not being misused.

Jeremy Laurence, spokesman for the office of UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet, said in an email reply to Reuters: "We urge the authorities to review these cases to ensure that the arrests do not impinge on the exercise of rights protected by the international human rights law and Hong Kong's Basic Law.

"We repeat our calls for the authorities to monitor and review the operation of the security law and to amend it if necessary to ensure there is no scope for its misuse to restrict human rights guaranteed by international law and the Basic Law of Hong Kong," he said.