Hong Kong passes law to curb dissent
Unanimous vote for crackdown after protests
HONG KONG • Hong Kong lawmakers unanimously approved a new national security law Tuesday that grants the government more power to quash dissent, widely seen as the latest step in a sweeping political crackdown triggered by pro-democracy protests in 2019.
The legislature passed the Safeguarding National Security Bill during a special session. The law will expand the authorities’ ability to prosecute citizens for offences including “colluding with external forces” to commit illegal acts as well as charge them with treason, insurrection, espionage, and disclosing state secrets, among others.
It comes on top of a similar security law Beijing imposed in 2020, which has already largely silenced opposition voices in the financial hub.
Hong Kong’s Legislative Council, packed with Beijing loyalists following an electoral overhaul, rushed the law through to approval. Since the bill was unveiled on March 8, a committee held daily meetings for a week, following an appeal by Hong Kong leader John Lee to push the law through “at full speed.”
After the vote, Lee said that the law would take effect Saturday.
“Today is a historic moment for Hong Kong,” he said.
Critics worry the new law will further erode civil liberties that Beijing promised to preserve for 50 years when the former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
The newly approved law threatens stringent penalties for a wide range of actions authorities call threats to national security, with the most severe — including treason and insurrection — punishable by life imprisonment. Lesser offences, including the possession of seditious publications, could also lead to several years in jail. Some provisions allow criminal prosecutions for acts committed anywhere in the world.
Legislative Council president Andrew Leung said in the morning he believed all lawmakers were honoured to have taken part in this “historic mission.” Council presidents usually opt not to take part in such votes. However, this time, Leung cast his ballot to mark the occasion.
John Burns, an honorary professor of politics and public administration at the University of Hong Kong, said the process reflected the city’s “disabled accountability system, weakened by design.”
He said lawmakers did examine the bill in detail and the government adopted some amendments proposed by legislators. However, Burns said during the debate, many lawmakers focused on ways to expand the state’s reach over national security issues and increase penalties for related crimes. He added executive authorities were happy to oblige them.
“For those who care about accountable government, the process is disappointing, but not surprising, given the centrally imposed changes since 2020,” Burns said.
Simon Young, a professor at the University of Hong Kong’s law faculty said the legislature did more than “rubber-stamping” the law, noting that officials attended lengthy meetings to clarify and amend the bill. But Young said that in the past lawmakers might have sought experts’ input.
“It is regrettable that this was not done on this occasion,” he said.
But Beijing’s liaison office in Hong Kong said Tuesday the legislation signalled a strong “firewall” has been built for the city’s stability and prosperity, allowing it to focus on promoting economic development and improving people’s livelihood. Lee also said other countries had passed laws to address risks when needed.
Hong Kong’s political scene has changed dramatically since the massive 2019 street protests that challenged China’s rule over the semi-autonomous territory and the imposition of Beijing’s National Security Law.
Many leading activists have been prosecuted, while others sought refuge abroad. Influential pro-democracy media such as Apple Daily and Stand News were shuttered. The crackdown prompted an exodus of disillusioned young professionals and middle-class families to the U.S., Britain, Canada, and Taiwan.
Officials insist the new security law balances security with safeguarding rights and freedoms.