NEW DELHI: Hong Kong’s legislative council on Tuesday passed Article 23, a new national security law, which introduces more stringent penalities, including life imprisonment to prohibit treason, sabotage, sedition, the theft of state secrets.
City leader John Lee said, “Today is a historic moment for Hong Kong,” and added that the law punishing five major crimes would come into effect on March 23, AFP reported.
“We need to have such tools which are effective in guarding against ‘black violence’ and colour revolution … we no longer need to worry about people destroying public infrastructure with the new law,” Lee told South China Morning Post.
“We must correctly understand that there must be one country before two systems, and the two systems must not be used to resist one country,” he added.
Under the terms of the 1997 handover from Britain, Hong Kong was promised specific freedoms, along with judicial and legislative independence, for a period of 50 years, as outlined in the agreement referred to as “One country, two systems”.
Critics of the bill argue that this bill further enhances control of China and threatens the city’s freedom.
(With inputs from agencies)