Posted 3/19/2024, 1:29:00 PM
Hong Kong Passes Controversial National Security Law With Vague Provisions and Harsh Penalties
- Hong Kong passes new national security law that carries severe punishment for offenses like insurrection
- Fast-tracked legislation is linked to Article 23 of Hong Kong's Basic Law requiring laws to prohibit treason, secession, etc.
- New law goes further than 2003 proposed law, denying access to lawyers and creating new tech-related offenses
- International groups say law is overly broad with vague concepts like “external interference”
- Legal experts concerned about how broadly “national security” and “state secrets” may be interpreted