Article23
It is a commonplace political observation that carelessly passed legislation often has unintended – and maybe ridiculous – effects. Our newly minted local legislators seem to have neglected this important warning. We are all, these days, eager to secure national security. However, attempts to achieve this by jailing those convicted of national security offences for long periods have reached a curious position. Readers will recall that – under the national security law bestowed on us by Beijing – national security offences come, like Pacific Coffee, in three sizes: small, medium and large. Thos...
Hong Kong Free Press
In the 46th month since Beijing imposed a national security law on Hong Kong, the city held a raft of events to mark National Security Education Day. China’s top man on Hong Kong affairs urged it to prioritise economic development after the passage of a second security law. City officials continued to defend the homegrown security law – known locally as Article 23 – saying it did not damage the city’s rule of law and press freedom. They rebutted criticism from the US and European Union as “smears” and “hypocrisy with double standards.” The national security trial of pro-democracy media mogul J...
Hong Kong Free Press
Hong Kong has again ranked low in a global press freedom index, as a watchdog cited an “unprecedented series of setbacks” including newsroom closures and journalist arrests under Beijing’s national security law. The city placed 135 out of 180 countries and territories in the Reporters Without Borders (RSF)’s annual press freedom ranking, released on Friday to mark World Press Freedom Day. Sandwiched between the Philippines and South Sudan in the ranking, Hong Kong continued to be among the few developed places to place poorly. Its press freedom ranking rose five places from last year’s 140. Bu...
Hong Kong Free Press
Hong Kong’s new, homegrown security law does not undermine press freedom, the city’s justice secretary has stated, amid concern that legislation against external interference and theft of state secrets may affect reporting. In an opinion piece published in Ming Pao on Monday, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam said Article 23 would not have any “unreasonable restrictions” on the work of the media. Criticism against the government was allowed “no matter how sharp or severe,” he added. “As long as the media industry adheres to the professional principles of truth-seeking, fairness, objectivity, impa...
Hong Kong Free Press
Legislative Council member and Executive Council convenor Regina Ip has criticised the Hong Kong government’s aggressive, “wolf-warrior” style of addressing overseas critics, especially critics of our new national security regime. Interviewed by Ming Pao, she implied that this style (always “refute,” “firmly oppose,” “strongly condemn”) undermines Hong Kong’s ability to connect with the international community. ”Openness,” she said, is the key to success. When ”people come and money comes… this is the only way to be successful. And if it’s too much of a fighting style, it won’t work… If it’s t...
Hong Kong Free Press
The Hong Kong government has “strongly opposed” a resolution adopted by the European Parliament, which condemned the enactment of the city’s domestic security law and called for sanctions against Chief Executive John Lee and other government officials. The European Union had made “exaggerating remarks” and demonstrated “typical political hegemony and hypocrisy with double standards” with a resolution passed on Thursday, a spokesperson for the Hong Kong government said in a statement late on Thursday. Concerns over Article 23The resolution targeted Hong Kong’s homegrown security law which came ...
Hong Kong Free Press
Beijing and Hong Kong have said that the US has “smeared” Hong Kong’s law enforcement actions after Washington published a report stating that the city had “significant human rights issues.” The 2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices released by the US Department of State on Monday was “unfounded and biased,” the Hong Kong government said in a statement on Tuesday night. ‘Arbitrary detention’ The annual report claimed that there were credible reports of arbitrary arrest and detention or detainees in Hong Kong under the Beijing-imposed national security law and other legislation. It cit...
Hong Kong Free Press
A team established to rebut criticism of Hong Kong’s new security law will continue to operate, the government has said, citing continued “misinformation and slanders from time to time.” In a written response to questions raised by pro-Beijing lawmaker Starry Lee, the Security Bureau said there remained a “need for the continued operation of the ‘Response and RebuttalTeam’.” Authorities announced on January 25 that a special team would be set up to respond and rebut “smears” against new security legislation under Article 23 of the Basic Law, days before they launched a one-month public consult...
Hong Kong Free Press
Hong Kong held a raft of events across the city on Monday to mark National Security Education Day, with a top Beijing official saying the city should prioritise economic development after the recent passage of a new security law. At Victoria Park in Causeway Bay, a colourful carnival featured exhibitions about national security and the police’s counter-terrorism vehicles. Chan Kwai-lan, an insurance worker in her 40s volunteering at the carnival, said the city’s efforts to safeguard national security were “good, very good.” “At least everyone is living in peace and working happily, and the eco...
Hong Kong Free Press
Hong Kong has a “bright future” after the enactment of a new national security law, Beijing’s top man on the city’s affairs has said, as he hit back at criticism of the law. Xia Baolong, the director of Beijing’s Hong Kong and Macao Affairs Office (HKMAO), on Monday hailed the recent legislation of the new security law as a “historical mission,” as he addressed city officials at the opening ceremony of Hong Kong’s National Security Education Day. Separate to the 2020 Beijing-imposed security law, the homegrown Safeguarding National Security Ordinance targets treason, insurrection, sabotage, ex...
Hong Kong Free Press
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