Hong Kong legislature unanimously passes new national security law

HONG KONG: Hong Kong lawmakers on Tuesday unanimously passed a new national security bill within a fortnight of it being tabled, fast-tracking a major piece of legislation that critics say further threatens the China-ruled city’s freedoms.

The package, known as Article 23, punishes offences including treason, sabotage, sedition, the theft of state secrets, external interference and espionage with sentences ranging from several years to life imprisonment.

Hong Kong’s leader John Lee said the law would come into effect on March 23 and called it a “historic moment for Hong Kong”.

This new slate of laws comes on top of an earlier, China-imposed national security law that had already triggered sanctions from the United States, including against Lee.

Some lawmakers, however, shrugged off the risk of further sanctions and possible credit rating downgrades.

“We have to legislate for the security of our country and Hong Kong. Whatever comes, will come. We don’t mind,” said the head of the legislature, Andrew Leung.

Hong Kong’s Legislative Council, stacked with pro-Beijing loyalists, was first presented with the bill on March 8 following a month-long public consultation.

Authorities say the legislation is necessary to plug loopholes in the national security regime despite the enactment of the China-imposed law that has been used to jail pro-democracy activists. The new law will have extraterritorial effect outside of Hong Kong, giving rise to fears it could be used to intimidate and restrict free speech in other jurisdictions.