Latest news with #ProDemocracy
The Guardian
18 hours ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Hong Kong code of conduct will oblige legislators to ‘sincerely support' Beijing
A new code of conduct in Hong Kong will require legislators to 'sincerely support' Beijing's jurisdiction on the city and the chief executive, and prohibits anything that might 'vilify' the government. The proposal for the new code, introduced on Wednesday, included tiered penalties for legislators who breach the code, including suspension without payment for the most serious offences. It stipulated that legislators must 'sincerely support the central government's overall jurisdiction while securing the Hong Kong SAR's [special administrative region's] high degree of autonomy', as well as the principle of 'patriots administering Hong Kong', referring to election reforms which ensure that only pro-Beijing candidates can run. 'They should not intentionally vilify the governance credibility of the chief executive and the SAR government, nor should they deliberately undermine or weaken the effectiveness of executive-led governance,' it said. The president of the legislative council of Hong Kong, Andrew Leung, told media the new rules wouldn't restrict legislators from speaking up, but they must be careful to 'not cross the red line', Hong Kong Free Press reported. Hong Kong's governance system has undergone major overhauls in recent years, after a crackdown on the city's pro-democracy movement and politicians saw major interventions by the government in Beijing. Every major democratic party has disbanded or begun the process of disbandment, and thousands of people – including politicians and activists – have been prosecuted under national security laws. A separate proposal this week flags new prison rules which include only allowing visits pre-approved by the correctional services department, would empower the department to consider restrictions on clergy visits, and seek rulings to bar visits by specific legal representatives to imprisoned clients. 'In the past, some people have abused the visiting mechanism and conducted visits in the name of 'humanitarian support',' said the amendment proposal. 'In fact, they are using soft means to influence prisoners, intending to incite them to resist the supervision of the correctional services department, arouse their hatred towards the central government and the SAR government, and even make them become potential risks to national security and public safety after returning to society.' The crackdown on Hong Kong's pro-democracy population has been widely criticised by human rights and legal groups. Senior foreign judges have left or resigned from Hong Kong's appeal court, with several specifically citing concerns over the new environment. Hong Kong authorities reject the claims. In an interview published by an academic journal this week, the UK's Brenda Marjorie Hale, who quietly declined an offer to extend her post on the Hong Kong court in 2021, said she was now 'all the more convinced that it was the right thing to do'. 'Because, as things have developed, the National Security Law has taken over the Basic Law,' she said, referring to Hong Kong's mini constitution. 'Even though the foreign judges are not likely to be asked to sit on national security cases, they are being asked to give respectability to a system that despite the best efforts ... are not going to succeed.' Additional research by Lillian Yang and Jason Tzu Kuan Lu
The Guardian
a day ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Hong Kong code of conduct will oblige legislators to ‘sincerely support' Beijing
A new code of conduct in Hong Kong will require legislators to 'sincerely support' Beijing's jurisdiction on the city and the chief executive, and prohibits anything that might 'vilify' the government. The proposal for the new code, introduced on Wednesday, included tiered penalties for legislators who breach the code, including suspension without payment for the most serious offences. It stipulated that legislators must 'sincerely support the central government's overall jurisdiction while securing the Hong Kong SAR's [special administrative region's] high degree of autonomy', as well as the principle of 'patriots administering Hong Kong', referring to election reforms which ensure that only pro-Beijing candidates can run. 'They should not intentionally vilify the governance credibility of the chief executive and the SAR government, nor should they deliberately undermine or weaken the effectiveness of executive-led governance,' it said. The president of the legislative council of Hong Kong, Andrew Leung, told media the new rules wouldn't restrict legislators from speaking up, but they must be careful to 'not cross the red line', Hong Kong Free Press reported. Hong Kong's governance system has undergone major overhauls in recent years, after a crackdown on the city's pro-democracy movement and politicians saw major interventions by the government in Beijing. Every major democratic party has disbanded or begun the process of disbandment, and thousands of people – including politicians and activists – have been prosecuted under national security laws. A separate proposal this week flags new prison rules which include only allowing visits pre-approved by the correctional services department, would empower the department to consider restrictions on clergy visits, and seek rulings to bar visits by specific legal representatives to imprisoned clients. 'In the past, some people have abused the visiting mechanism and conducted visits in the name of 'humanitarian support',' said the amendment proposal. 'In fact, they are using soft means to influence prisoners, intending to incite them to resist the supervision of the correctional services department, arouse their hatred towards the central government and the SAR government, and even make them become potential risks to national security and public safety after returning to society.' The crackdown on Hong Kong's pro-democracy population has been widely criticised by human rights and legal groups. Senior foreign judges have left or resigned from Hong Kong's appeal court, with several specifically citing concerns over the new environment. Hong Kong authorities reject the claims. In an interview published by an academic journal this week, the UK's Brenda Marjorie Hale, who quietly declined an offer to extend her post on the Hong Kong court in 2021, said she was now 'all the more convinced that it was the right thing to do'. 'Because, as things have developed, the National Security Law has taken over the Basic Law,' she said, referring to Hong Kong's mini constitution. 'Even though the foreign judges are not likely to be asked to sit on national security cases, they are being asked to give respectability to a system that despite the best efforts ... are not going to succeed.' Additional research by Lillian Yang and Jason Tzu Kuan Lu
CNA
4 days ago
- Politics
- CNA
Hong Kong rights record under fire as it marks China handover anniversary
HONG KONG: Hong Kong leader John Lee said on Tuesday (Jul 1) the city has become safer and more competitive as it marks its 28th year under Chinese rule, although critics including the EU decried the use of a "repressive" security law. The former British colony was handed over to China in 1997 under a "One Country, Two Systems" governance model, which guaranteed key freedoms and a high degree of autonomy not enjoyed on the mainland. Jul 1 in Hong Kong had been marked in previous years by demonstrations but authorities have cracked down on dissent after huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in 2019. Lee said "high-level security to safeguard high-quality development" was a top priority for his administration, noting the need to integrate into China's economic blueprint. The city this week also marked the fifth anniversary of Beijing's imposition of a sweeping national security law, under which 76 people have been convicted so far, imposed after the 2019 protests. Lee's government enacted a separate security law of its own in 2024 that authorities say is needed to restore order. "We have rebuilt a safe Hong Kong," Lee said in a speech. However, the European Union said on Monday "the repressive use of the National Security Law has undermined confidence in the rule of law and Hong Kong's international reputation". "The European Union regrets that additional national security legislation ... introduced new offences, increased penalties and further empowered security authorities," it said in a statement. The League of Social Democrats, one of Hong Kong's last remaining opposition parties, disbanded on Sunday citing "immense political pressure" and concern for the safety of its members. It was the second pro-democracy party to announce plans to wind down this year, following the Democratic Party in February. Outgoing US consul general in Hong Kong Gregory May also criticised the Hong Kong government last week for using the security law to target overseas activists. Authorities say that Hong Kong residents continue to enjoy rights and freedoms guaranteed under its Basic Law constitution, although such rights are not absolute. Lee also said Hong Kong will speed up an ambitious plan to urbanise land near its border with China, a development known as the Northern Metropolis that will take up a third of Hong Kong's total area.
