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Washington (AP) - In connection with the controversial security law in Hong Kong, the outgoing US government has imposed sanctions on six representatives of the Chinese leadership and the police in Hong Kong.
The US State Department announced in Washington that they would be punished for the mass arrests in early January.
Police arrested more than 50 democratic activists in Hong Kong in early January in the biggest blow against the opposition since the controversial security law was introduced.
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The arrests were linked to unofficial primaries held by opposition forces last July ahead of the general election, which was later canceled due to the pandemic.
The arrested are accused of endangering the state and violating the national security law that came into force on July 1.
The mass arrests met with international outrage.
The US State Department spoke on Friday of a "terrifying" blow against activists who had campaigned for fair and open elections and called for their immediate release.
The enactment of the security law in response to the demonstrations in Hong Kong, which had been going on for a year, had been sharply criticized internationally.
It is directed against activities that Beijing sees as subversive, separatist, terrorist or conspiratorial.
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Since July 1, 1997, Hong Kong has been part of China again and is governed as a separate territory according to the principle of “one country, two systems”.
This agreement actually provides that the seven million Hong Kongers will enjoy "a high degree of autonomy" and many freedoms by 2047.
Since the Security Act was passed, many have only said: "One country, one system".
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210115-99-44431 / 2