Hong Kong: United States and United Kingdom denounce draft new security law
This Wednesday, February 28, Washington and London criticized the Hong Kong government over a proposed new national security law, which they believe threatens to further encroach on the freedoms of the population.
Police patrol on a street in Hong Kong.
Washington and London are criticizing a draft new national security law, which could further encroach on the freedoms of the population (illustrative image).
AP - Vincent Yu
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The
Hong Kong
executive presented, at the end of January 2024, a proposed law covering five offenses – including treason, insurrection and espionage – intended to fill the “gaps” in the current legislation imposed by Beijing in 2020 Following a month of public consultations ending on February 20, Justice Secretary Paul Lam said he had not heard any objections to the new text.
This proposal “
does not respect
” international standards
“
We are particularly concerned by the Hong Kong authorities' proposal to adopt broad and vague definitions of 'state secrets' and 'external interference' that could be used to eliminate dissent,
” responded the spokesperson. US State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller in a statement.
For his part, British Foreign Minister David Cameron considered that this proposal “
does not respect
” international standards on human rights, and will have “
a negative impact on the exercise of the rights and freedoms of the population of Hong Kong
», urging the local executive to “
reconsider its proposals and carry out real consultations with the population
”.
As a co-signatory of the Sino-British joint declaration, guaranteeing Hong Kong certain freedoms and its autonomy for fifty years under the "one country, two systems" model, London "
has the responsibility to guarantee the maintenance of these rights and freedoms
,” he added.
China
's foreign affairs office
in Hong Kong condemned Mr Cameron's statement, calling it "
irresponsible
" and a "
vicious smear
".
“
The United Kingdom has no power
(...)
over Hong Kong after the handover
,” the commissioner’s spokesperson declared on February 29.
The senior advisor to the Hong Kong government, Regina Ip, considered it “
ridiculous
” that London “
claims to have a right of review over the way Hong Kong applies its national security law under the Sino-British joint declaration
”.
“
If the British government took its human rights obligations seriously, it would not have authorized its plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda
,” Ms. Ip also wrote on X.
In Hong Kong, hundreds of people have already been arrested
In 2019, responding to huge
pro-democracy
protests , Beijing imposed a national security law covering four offenses – secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces – which could be punished by life in prison.
Since then, hundreds of people have been arrested, including local political figures, pro-democracy activists, lawyers, trade unionists and journalists, and the repression of freedoms has silenced civil society, once very active in the city.
An article in the local mini-Constitution provides for Hong Kong to legislate on its own national security regarding seven security crimes, including treason and espionage.
(
With AFP
)
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