In Hong Kong, a new opportunistic tightening of the national security law
Fourteen months after the national security law came into effect in Hong Kong, the local government is tightening its grip again. "Ancillary legislation" has been enacted to give more power to the National Security Bureau. Its scope of jurisdiction has been expanded, and penalties for any "security breach" have been strengthened.
On Monday, May 12, the Hong Kong government tabled draft "ancillary legislation" to the national security law. "The next day, the bill was published in the official gazette, and [the text] came into force, even before being examined by the Legislative Council" of the Chinese special administrative region (commonly called "LegCo"),the Singaporean newspaper Lianhe Zaobao reported .
Hong Kong's national security law, which "aims to prevent, suppress, and punish acts and activities that endanger national security," came into effect on March 23, 2024. It complemented the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020. At the time, its design sparked a huge protest movement within Hong Kong society. The society was traumatized, to the point of causing a significant brain drain from Hong Kong.
Contacted by Lianhe Zaobao, Tam Chi Keung, former president of the Journalists Association
Courrier International
