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This thread is about Hong Kong's security law, and a little bit of what lead up to it.
Not too long ago there was an extradition bill in China, which allows Hong Kong to detain and transfer individuals who are wanted in countries that have no formal extradition agreements, such as Taiwan and mainland China. This allows HK to prosecute refugees who escaped to other countries. But people are afraid that the law allows anyone to be detained in mainland China, which is a country whose judges follow the orders of the communist party. The main fear was that the law would target not just criminals but also political activists. After half a million or so people protesting, the bill was shelved!
But just recently Hong Kong passed new security laws that can lead to life imprisonment sentences for those convicted of serious crimes. This bill was conceived in secrecy and passed without serious input from Hong Kong authorities, and it is said to specifically target those guilty of secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign powers. According to Zhang Xiaoming, a deputy director of the central Chinese government office for Hong Kong, this law is to punish a tiny number of criminals who seriously endanger national security.
But police have already shown up to stop protesters and have gone after people with pepper spray, water cannons, gas, rubber bullets, etc and have made hundreds of arrests, some for super questionable reasons too...
Another thing that's scary about this is that trials can be held in secret, without a jury, and judges can be handpicked by Hong Kong's chief executive. Suspects are also denied bail and there is no apparent limit to how long suspects are held. Former director of Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, Zhang Xiaoming, said on Wednesday that the law would help return stability to the territory and will bring Hong Kong more in line with the laws, procedures and practices of mainland China. But the law is super unpopular globally, and has been condemned by the British Prime Minister and the EU, and Boris Johnson is planning to open an easy pathway to citizenship for Hong Kong refugees into the UK.
I'm curious what your opinions on all of this is?
Not too long ago there was an extradition bill in China, which allows Hong Kong to detain and transfer individuals who are wanted in countries that have no formal extradition agreements, such as Taiwan and mainland China. This allows HK to prosecute refugees who escaped to other countries. But people are afraid that the law allows anyone to be detained in mainland China, which is a country whose judges follow the orders of the communist party. The main fear was that the law would target not just criminals but also political activists. After half a million or so people protesting, the bill was shelved!
But just recently Hong Kong passed new security laws that can lead to life imprisonment sentences for those convicted of serious crimes. This bill was conceived in secrecy and passed without serious input from Hong Kong authorities, and it is said to specifically target those guilty of secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign powers. According to Zhang Xiaoming, a deputy director of the central Chinese government office for Hong Kong, this law is to punish a tiny number of criminals who seriously endanger national security.
But police have already shown up to stop protesters and have gone after people with pepper spray, water cannons, gas, rubber bullets, etc and have made hundreds of arrests, some for super questionable reasons too...
Another thing that's scary about this is that trials can be held in secret, without a jury, and judges can be handpicked by Hong Kong's chief executive. Suspects are also denied bail and there is no apparent limit to how long suspects are held. Former director of Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, Zhang Xiaoming, said on Wednesday that the law would help return stability to the territory and will bring Hong Kong more in line with the laws, procedures and practices of mainland China. But the law is super unpopular globally, and has been condemned by the British Prime Minister and the EU, and Boris Johnson is planning to open an easy pathway to citizenship for Hong Kong refugees into the UK.
I'm curious what your opinions on all of this is?
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