The Global Coalition against Article 23 Legislation is composed of many non-government organizations around the world. We may have diverse backgrounds, but we come together for one thing in common, that is: we all believe the proposed Article 23 legislation in Hong Kong is in violation of the "One Country, Two Systems" policy. It is legislation that will destroy Hong Kong's freedoms and rights and make Hong Kong a police state.

It is known to all that the chief executive of the Hong Kong SAR government was appointed by Beijing, and most of the seats in Hong Kong's legislative council were not elected either. Furthermore, jurisdiction of Hong Kong is supervised by the "explanations" of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress. Under such a non-democratic circumstance, there is a hardly sufficient system of checks and balances on the SAR government. The Article 23 legislation, which is being forced through by the Hong Kong government in such a hurry, would put at stake Hong Kong's freedoms of thought, belief, press, speech, information, academic research, association, assembly and many other types of freedom. If it is passed, the "One Country, Two Systems" policy will be virtually gone.

In fact, Hong Kong's existing laws already sufficiently cover all the crimes listed in Article 23. Thus, more legislation under Article 23 would not help; rather, it will harm the very foundation that is essential for any country's long-term prosperity and stability. Look at the key definitions in the consultation document, such as "state security", "state secrets" etc.; it is obvious that under pressure from Beijing, all the key definitions will target any dissenting groups in the same way as the Mainland government targets them.

Under the dictatorship of Mainland China, the definition of those key concepts can be changed at will by the rulers. Thus, anyone could easily violate the legislation unknowingly, and be banned or repressed under the name of "anti-subversion". To name a few: the AIDS activists who revealed the AIDS situation in China to foreign media, those who disclosed the persecution of healthy Falun Gong practitioners in mental hospitals, and media workers who reported large scale strikes. Thus, the Article 23 legislation could be turned into a convenient tool to repress any group in Hong Kong that says or does something that the Beijing government feels uncomfortable with.

This worry is justified by the fact that in the past five years after the handover, the Hong Kong government has used "public security" regulations to repress many dissidents. One example is the sham trial of sixteen Falun Gong practitioners who did nothing but hold a peaceful demonstration. This trial was viewed as a "political trial" in the international community.

The point of Article 23 legislation is to expand the communist regime's style of rule to Hong Kong. If the Hong Kong government and people allow Article 23 legislation and open the door to Beijing's policies, what it will threaten or harm is not just Falun Gong but EVERYONE in Hong Kong. The free and open society, which is essential to the well-being of Hong Kong on every level, would no longer exist.

The proposed Article 23 legislation has caused widespread attention and deep concerns in the international community. The United States and England have both expressed their grave concerns. In Hong Kong, it has triggered rising concern across a broad spectrum of society -- from clerics, bankers, lawyers, journalists, artists, university students to religious groups.

Before the handover of Hong Kong in 1997, United States, Canada, France and many other countries made an open statement that they would have the moral obligation to make sure the "one country, two systems" policy was implemented in Hong Kong. In the Joint Declaration by PRC and England, it was stated that England has the responsibility to oversee that the "one country, two systems" policy be implemented in Hong Kong according to the Basic Law. In fact, at this historical moment when Hong Kong faces the gravest threat yet to its civil liberties in the form of Article 23 just five years after the return, it is the responsibility for everyone of us who cares about Hong Kong's future to step forward, to say something or do something to help.

We welcome any corporation, organization or individual to join this global coalition against Article 23 or sign on our website to oppose this proposed legislation. Let's work together to stop Jiang Zemin's regime from sacrificing the interests of six million Hong Kong people just for his own, and who would replace the "One Country, Two Systems" policy with a "police state policy" in Hong Kong.

We also call for the Hong Kong SAR government to keep a clear mind before making such a serious decision and to protect the future of Hong Kong.

To protect Hong Kong is to protect our conscience.