The Hong Kong government will introduce a law that will include new violations of the “National security”, announced, Wednesday January 12, the head of the executive during the first session of the Legislative Council “reserved for the patriots”.
Carrie Lam has indicated that her government intends to pass, in addition to the current law imposed in 2020 by Beijing on secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign powers, a local law including some 40 other offenses to national security.
“Betrayal, secession, sedition and subversion”
The chief executive did not specify these new offenses but explained that they would comply with article 23 of the Basic Law, the mini-constitution of the theoretically semi-autonomous city. This article 23 is about “Betrayal, secession, sedition [et] subversion “.
It also aims to prohibit foreign political organizations from carrying out political activities in Hong Kong and local political organizations from maintaining links with foreign political bodies.
The drastic national security law was imposed in June 2020 by Beijing on Hong Kong in response to massive and often violent pro-democracy protests. Written in a very vague manner, it makes it illegal to express almost any form of dissent and has reshaped the legal landscape of a land once considered a bastion of freedoms.