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MEP's question to the European Commission: What initiatives does the Commission intend to take to prevent the implementation of Article 23?
(Clearwisdom.net) Recently some members of the European parliament have
asked questions to the European Commission on what information the Commission
has on the issue of the Article 23 and what initiatives the Commission has taken
or intends to take in order to prevent the implementation of Article 23.
In September 2002, Hong Kong government introduced a piece of controversial
legislation -- Article 23. It seems that the proposed legislation was written
under direct pressure from China and is far more restrictive and severe than
required by the Basic Law. It appears that if it were enacted, Hong Kong would
have to ban any organization determined by China as a national security risk.
All dissident groups including human rights groups, democracy activists,
Catholics and Falun Gong, as well as individuals, would be affected. This is
against HK's autonomy and the "One Country-Two Systems" principle. It seems that
the proposed law would also put serious restrictions on HK's media with regard
to publishing information relating to the Chinese Central Government in Beijing.
The followings are the questions asked by Olivier Dupuis MEP to the European
Commission:
"What information does the Commission have on this issue? What initiatives
has the Commission taken or intends to take in order to prevent the
implementation of Article 23? More generally, what initiatives has the
Commission taken or intends to take to urge the Hong Kong government to keep
"One country-Two systems" policy which the Chinese authority has promised to
maintain in Hong Kong for 50 years after Hong Kong was handed over to China in
1997, to respect the basic human rights and, in particular, the freedom of
speech, the freedom of religion or belief, the freedom of assembly and peaceful
demonstration?"
Posting date: 12/9/2002 |