The national security law for Hong Kong will fully protect human rights and freedom currently enjoyed, say legal experts.
Experts: draft shows people’s freedoms will stay intact
The national security law for the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region will fully protect the human rights and freedoms people currently enjoy there, legal experts said after more details of the draft law were made public.
In the past few weeks, Hong Kong residents, especially those from non-governmental organisations, have been discussing the protection of their rights and freedoms under the upcoming law.
The National People’s Congress, China’s top legislature, has pledged to continue its efforts to consult with Hong Kong society during the remaining legislative work.
Having acknowledged that the draft law “absorbed opinions as much as possible”, Hong Kong chief executive Carrie Lam said last week that concerns over rights and freedoms had been well addressed in the draft law, which listed how human rights under the Basic Law and two international covenants would remain intact.
Peter Wong, chairman of the Hong Kong Legal Professionals Association, said the draft had made it clear that Hong Kong people’s human rights and freedoms would not be restricted or affected by the law.
He expected the law to end the lingering social unrest in the city and reinforce its status as a global financial hub, which would reassure overseas investors.
Kacee Ting Wong, a barrister and member of the Chinese Association of Hong Kong and Macao Studies, said the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress had been “restrained and prudent” and had fully respected the “one country, two systems” principle during the legislative process.
“The draft makes a special mention that Hong Kong’s core values – human rights and freedoms that are enshrined in two international human rights treaties – will also be upheld in the security law,” Ting said. He said none of the laws added to Annex III of the Basic Law had triggered any incidents related to the violation of human rights since Hong Kong returned to China.
“The draft national security law also upholds the characteristics of Hong Kong’s common law system, in which human rights are guaranteed during legal proceedings, such as the presumption of innocence and protection against double jeopardy,” Ting added.