New hotline invites residents to snitch over Beijing security law breaches

RESIDENTS in Hong Kong are being asked to use a newly unveiled hotline to snitch on anyone they know who is breaching the controversial national security law imposed by Beijing in the summer.

Police launched the new hotline yesterday, telling residents they can send images, audio and video files to it.

In a Facebook post, the police said the hotline, which does not answer calls or respond, allows people to report “national security” matters.

The information can be submitted via the popular Chinese messaging app, Wechat, text or email and authorities claim they will not collect the personal data of anyone who reports breaches.

The hotline unveiling online received mixed reviews, with one Facebook user saying, “Support the police!” and another saying: “Do you know what we did after the war with people who snitched? We hanged them!”

Human rights groups criticised the hotline. Maya Wang, senior China researcher at Human Rights Watch, said: “Informants may use this hotline against people who they dislike or are in a different political camp.”

The wide-ranging new law reduces Hong Kong’s autonomy, criminalises secession, subversion and collusion with foreign forces and has silenced many protesters since it came into force.

Earlier this week, seven pro-democracy politicians in Hong Kong were arrested over scuffles that broke out in the city’s legislature during a face-off between pro-democracy and pro-beijing legislators in May.