Hong Kong passes security law that further crushes the media

Taipei, March 19, 2024—The Committee to Protect Journalists condemns the Hong Kong legislature’s hasty passing of a national security law on Tuesday which could lead to the suppression of press freedom and prosecution of journalists.

The city’s lawmakers unanimously passed the Safeguarding National Security Bill, enacted under Article 23 of the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution. The new law includes offenses for treason, sabotage, sedition, theft of state secrets, and espionage.

“The hasty passing of the law by the current legislative council and the Hong Kong government without meaningful consultation shows absolute disrespect for fundamental rights,” said Iris Hsu, CPJ’s China representative. “The sweeping law threatens more civil liberties than ever and risks the livelihood of almost every industry in the city, particularly the media.”

A former British colony, Hong Kong returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with the guarantee of a high degree of autonomy, including freedom of speech, under a “one country, two system” formula.

Separately on Saturday, a court in Hong Kong issued fines of HK$1,500 (US$ 191) and HK$1,000 (US$127) to two journalists, Wong Ka-ho and Ma Kai-chung, who in February were convicted of unlawfully entering the legislative council in 2019 when demonstrators stormed the parliament, according to news reports.

China is the world’s worst jailer of journalists, according to CPJ’s latest annual prison census, with at least 44 journalists in prison for their work on December 1, 2023.

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee’s office acknowledged CPJ’s request for comment on March 1, when CPJ called on authorities to scrap the security bill, but it has yet to provide a response.