Amidst opposition from the people of Hong Kong and strong condemnation from the international community, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of China released the content of the draft National Security Law for Hong Kong, which includes six chapters: general rules, duties and institutions, offences and punishment, case jurisdiction, law application and procedures, the maintenance of national security agencies and so forth. From the draft, it can be clearly seen that after implementing the Law, the Beijing authorities will, by multiple means, comprehensively tighten a stranglehold on Hong Kong’s freedom, democracy, human rights and the rule of law. The promise of “one country, two systems” and “Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong” are not only reduced to lies through and through, but also ruthlessly trampled on.

Above-the-law secret service tightly strangles Hong Kong people

According to the draft legislation, China will set up a "National Security Commission" in Hong Kong, the functions of which encompass supervising and guiding the Hong Kong SAR government to perform its duties of maintaining national security, and under "certain circumstances", exercising jurisdiction over criminal cases that endanger Hong Kong's national security. The draft also stipulates that the Hong Kong government will establish a "National Security Committee" with the Chief Executive serving as the chairperson and heads of relevant Hong Kong government departments as committee members. Beijing will designate a "National Security Advisor" in the "National Security Committee", which is nominally equivalent to appointing a party committee supervisor into the Hong Kong government’s "National Security Committee".

Apparently, the "National Security Commission" under the direct control of Beijing will become a spy agency that operates above the law of Hong Kong to conduct political scrutiny on Hong Kong people's thoughts, speech, press freedom, political participation, judicial operations, and even daily life. In addition, under the umbrella of “National Security”, its actual influence will be greater than that of the Hong Kong Government, the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government, and the Hong Kong And Macao Affairs Office of the State Council.

As for the Hong Kong government’s "National Security Committee", calling it a rubber stamp is rating it too highly. Meanwhile, the “National Security Department” specially set up by the Hong Kong Police Force based on the National Security Law for Hong Kong is naturally a gang of thugs who takes orders from and will do anything to please its masters.

This one-stop system that fully enshrines the style of the Chinese Communist Party’s national security and public security will be the darkest shadow that looms over the daily lives of Hong Kong people.

Dreadful legal and political black hole

Looping a noose around the necks of Hong Kong people is not enough. An additional loop is placed by the draft national security law for Hong Kong. According to its the provisions, Hong Kong’s Department of Justice will set up a special prosecution division for national security crimes, with the Chief Executive of Hong Kong designating several judges to handle cases related to national security. This breaks Hong Kong’s long-standing tradition in which the Chief Justice of the Court of Final Appeal (Supreme Court) appoints judges to handle cases. That is to say, the Hong Kong government is extending its administrative power to intervene in justice, and as the Hong Kong government is directly controlled by the Beijing authorities on the grounds of national security, the Hong Kong government will be ignored and hollowed out. Thus “one country, two systems”, “Hong Kong people ruling Hong Kong”, judicial independence and freedom, democracy and the rule of law will be nothing but lip service.

The original intention of imposing the National Security Law for Hong Kong was to confiscate what remains of Hong Kong’s limited freedom, democracy and rule of law. Although the specific provisions of the law have not yet been published, it can be seen from the draft that the "certain circumstances" under which the Beijing authorities exercise jurisdiction over Hong Kong will be a dreadful legal and political black hole. It will devour all basic human rights of Hong Kong people with the loosely-defined and empty definitions of "national security" and “certain circumstances”.

Opposition from the Hong Kong people with condemnation and sanctions from the international community will exert pressure on Beijing. China has not yet announced the specific provisions of the National Security Law for Hong Kong as well as the extent of punishment and sentence; perhaps China is observing whether the intensity of the protests will escalate and whether the opposition will ensue. Looking closely at the motives of Beijing’s legislation and the announced content of the draft legislation, can all countries, organizations and people who care about Hong Kong people’s fate and universal values ​​such as freedom, democracy, human rights, not keep on strongly opposing this evil law in a timely manner? Of course not! This battle is not only for Hong Kong, but also for every person who wants to maintain civilized lifestyles and values. Fight persistently with all your strength - this is our only option.

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