Hong Kong authorities unveil draft of new national security law

2024-03-08T14:07:30.824Z

Highlights: Hong Kong authorities unveil draft of new national security law. New bill provides for prison sentences of up to life for treason, insurrection and sabotage. 20 years for espionage and 10 years for sedition or attack on state secrets. Sedition is a crime that many democracies have abandoned. But under the very vague definition of Hong Kong law, criticism of the government could be considered sedition.. The Security Bureau claimed to have 99% opinion favorable, and 0.64% unfavorable opinions. And the text should be adopted without discussion.

Hong Kong presented its draft new national security law on Friday March 8, which will expand the repressive legal arsenal already available to the authorities.

Hong Kong authorities unveil draft of new national security law

Hong Kong presented its draft new national security law on Friday March 8, which will expand the repressive legal arsenal already available to the authorities.

Question and answer session regarding legislation relating to Article 23 of the National Security Law, at the Legislative Council in Hong Kong, China, January 25, 2024. REUTERS - LAM YIK

By: RFI Follow

With our correspondent in Hong Kong

Florence de Changy

The new bill presented this March 8 to Legco, the local Parliament, provides for prison sentences of up to life for treason, insurrection and sabotage, 20 years for espionage and 10 years for sedition or attack on state secrets .

Also readNew security law in Hong Kong

Sedition is a crime that many democracies have abandoned.

It covers rebellions, riots, calls for revolution.

But under the very vague definition of Hong Kong law, criticism of the government could be considered sedition.

The definition of state secrets is also very vague.

This is what most worries human rights defenders and lawyers interviewed on the issue.

But at the end of the consultation period that the government had granted to Hong Kongers to react to this eclectic draft of security laws, which had been presented in a 110-page document, the Security Bureau claimed to have 99% opinion favorable, and 0.64% unfavorable opinions.

Hong Kongers who have opposed these security laws en masse in the past simply no longer have the space to express their opposition.

And the text should be adopted without discussion.

Read alsoHong Kong: United States and United Kingdom denounce draft new security law

Hong Kong authorities unveil draft of new national security law

Hong Kong authorities unveil draft of new national security law

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