Hong Kong Police Make First Arrests Under New National Security Law
In a bold move, Hong Kong police have taken action under the newly passed local national security law, targeting individuals for their social media activities deemed “seditious” by authorities.
The city’s national security police wasted no time, making six arrests on Tuesday, including a woman already behind bars, on suspicion of committing acts with seditious intent, as stated in a police release.
According to the police statement, the individuals are accused of exploiting an upcoming sensitive date to anonymously post seditious content on social media platforms since April.
Their alleged aim? To stoke hatred towards the central authorities, city government, and judiciary, as well as incite netizens to engage in illegal activities at a later time.
Although the statement did not specify the sensitive date in question, the impending 35th anniversary of Beijing’s June 4, 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre is a significant event that cannot be openly commemorated in Hong Kong.
The six individuals, five women and one man aged between 37 and 65, may face up to 7 years in prison if found guilty.
“Those who intend to endanger national security should not believe they can evade police scrutiny by hiding behind online anonymity,” the statement warned.
These arrests mark the inaugural use of Hong Kong’s own national security law, which was approved by the city’s legislature in March without opposition.
Referred to locally as Article 23, the law was swiftly enacted at the urging of city leader John Lee, following just 11 days of debate.
The legislation introduces 39 new national security offenses, supplementing an existing law imposed by Beijing in 2020 after widespread pro-democracy protests.
Since then, Hong Kong has undergone a dramatic transformation, with authorities cracking down on political opponents, disbanding civil society groups and outspoken media outlets, and promoting patriotism above all else.
The new national security law covers a wide range of crimes, from treason to handling state secrets unlawfully, with the most severe offenses carrying potential life sentences.
While Lee hailed the law as a “historic moment for Hong Kong,” critics and analysts fear it will align the city’s security laws more closely with those in mainland China and intensify the crackdown on dissent.
For years, Hong Kong stood as the sole Chinese territory where mass commemorations were held each June 4 to honor the pro-democracy protesters killed by the Chinese military in 1989.
Yet, since 2020, candlelight vigils have been largely prohibited as authorities strive to erase all public remembrance of the crackdown, a topic considered taboo in mainland China. — CNN
