Hong Kong opposition worries new details on security law

Text by: RFI Follow

China's pro-democracy camp has reacted with concern after denouncing new details from the new China agency on the national security law that Beijing intends to impose on Hong Kong, and denounces China's tightening grip on the country. former British colony.

Publicity

With our correspondent in Hong Kong, Florence de Changy

The long dispatch broadcast by the new China agency this Saturday, June 20, gave a slightly more precise taste of the implementation of the new national security law. Several aspects shocked, including the appointment of judges to preside over national security crimes and the creation of a national security agency , assimilated to a secret police.

After a year of protests in Hong Kong , Beijing decided at the end of May to impose this new law, unilaterally, so that all acts calling into question its authority are severely punished in the Special Administrative Region.

But this law, which is being written in Beijing and on which Hong Kong will have no say, is in direct conflict with many of the freedoms guaranteed by the Hong Kong Basic Law, the mini-constitution of the city.

"Hong Kong's worst nightmare"

For Alvin Yeung, leader of the Civic Party, one of the pro-democracy opposition parties, this bill is the worst possible nightmare for the former British colony. "  The hand of Beijing settles in the center of administrative and legal affairs in Hong Kong," he denounces. In fact, the head of the executive will have the power to choose the judges responsible for judging National Security matters. And what worries me even more is that there will be a national security agency, headed by the head of the executive but under the authority of a consultant appointed by Beijing. That is the problem !  "

Also #Beijing will appoint a national security bureau in #HongKong to oversee the #NationalSecurityLaw. And HK Chief Executive will select judges as she likes to adjudicate national security cases, a clear departure from common law traditions.

Alvin Yeung also denounces the lack of information on the nature of acts liable to be considered as crimes and on the lack of information on the penalties incurred.

While the standing committee of the National People's Assembly responsible for formulating this law ended its three-day session on Saturday, it will meet again on June 28, instead of at the end of August. It is therefore likely that the law will be announced and promulgated before July 1.

► To listen: Is the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong defeated?

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• Hong Kong
• China
• Human rights

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