What we know about the Hong Kong security law
What we know about the Hong Kong security law
The new national security law for Hong Kong that was adopted in China on Tuesday gives the government in Beijing sweeping powers to crack down on dissent.
The new legislation, released to the public for the first time after its adoption, provides a blueprint for the authorities and courts to suppress the city’s protest movement and for China’s national security apparatus to pervade layers of Hong Kong society.
In ambiguous wording, it lays out new crimes and authorizes life imprisonment in the most serious cases. Here are some key points:
■ The law takes aim at antigovernment protesters. Activities like damaging government buildings and interrupting public transit are described as acts of subversion and terrorism.
■ It allows Beijing to seize broad control in security cases, especially during crises. A new Committee for Safeguarding National Security will operate in total secrecy and will be shielded from legal challenges.
■ The law focuses heavily on the perceived role of foreigners in Hong Kong’s unrest. It will impose harsh penalties on anyone who urges foreign countries to criticize or to impose sanctions on the government.
Big picture: Critics have called it a death knell to the “One Country, Two Systems” political framework that preserved Hong Kong’s distinctive status.
Response: The business world has largely fallen in line behind China’s campaign to tighten its grip on Hong Kong. Many leaders around the world condemned the law, The Financial Times reports.
The new national security law for Hong Kong that was adopted in China on Tuesday gives the government in Beijing sweeping powers to crack down on dissent.
The new legislation, released to the public for the first time after its adoption, provides a blueprint for the authorities and courts to suppress the city’s protest movement and for China’s national security apparatus to pervade layers of Hong Kong society.
In ambiguous wording, it lays out new crimes and authorizes life imprisonment in the most serious cases. Here are some key points:
■ The law takes aim at antigovernment protesters. Activities like damaging government buildings and interrupting public transit are described as acts of subversion and terrorism.
■ It allows Beijing to seize broad control in security cases, especially during crises. A new Committee for Safeguarding National Security will operate in total secrecy and will be shielded from legal challenges.
■ The law focuses heavily on the perceived role of foreigners in Hong Kong’s unrest. It will impose harsh penalties on anyone who urges foreign countries to criticize or to impose sanctions on the government.
Big picture: Critics have called it a death knell to the “One Country, Two Systems” political framework that preserved Hong Kong’s distinctive status.
Response: The business world has largely fallen in line behind China’s campaign to tighten its grip on Hong Kong. Many leaders around the world condemned the law, The Financial Times reports.
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