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AP: HK Unveils Text Of Planned Anti-Subversion Law
February 13, 2003 (Clearwisdom.net) HONG KONG (AP)--Hong Kong's security chief released the
text of an anti-subversion bill Thursday, and critics immediately charged
that new provisions would weaken the territory's rule of law. Secretary for Security Regina Ip said the bill doesn't threaten local
freedoms of the press, speech and assembly - as rights activists,
journalists and pro-democracy figures have claimed for months. Most details of the bill had been made public already, in the form of a
published outline that said Hong Kong wants to outlaw treason, subversion,
secession and sedition - basically any violent attempt to overthrow the
government or break up parts of China. But opposition legislators, who fear the law gives authorities too much
power to stifle dissent, said they found a new provision that would make it
difficult for any outlawed group to overturn its ban through the courts. Critics have worried that Hong Kong will use the law to ban Falun Gong [...]
Falun Gong is legal in Hong Kong and carries out numerous protests against
Beijing's efforts to eradicate it in the mainland. Once Hong Kong has passed its anti-subversion law, a banned group might have
to appeal its ban without being informed of the "full particulars" of why it
was imposed. "This is absurd," said Albert Ho, a lawmaker from the opposition Democratic
Party. Ho also attacked a provision that would let Hong Kong's security chief ban
any local group if he or she "reasonably believes" that it acts against
national security and is "subordinate" to a mainland organization outlawed
in China on national security grounds. Independent lawmaker Margaret Ng said that will damage Hong Kong's judicial
system by "linking" it with "the mainland's political structure." The bill seems certain to be passed by the legislature - dominated by
pro-business and pro-Beijing parties - within the next few months. Ip
insisted that the government has struck "a balance between protecting
national security and safeguarding fundamental rights and freedoms." She also shrugged off criticism from opposition politicians and human rights
activists who had demanded to see the wording of the planned law months ago,
while the government was eliciting public comment on it. An earlier text would have allowed critics to propose changes before the
bill goes to the Legislative Council, but the government refused. The anti-subversion measure has stirred one of the biggest political battles
since Hong Kong was returned from British to Chinese sovereignty in 1997.
Since its return, the territory has been constitutionally required to outlaw
subversion, sedition, treason and other crimes against the state. The government began work last year on legislation that would punish many
offenses with life in prison, stirring fears that local freedoms could be
crushed. Opponents worry that Hong Kong could be heading toward a Beijing-style
crackdown on dissent. Hong Kong officials dispute such contentions and say
they have no intention of using the law to go after Falun Gong.
Posting date: 2/14/2003 |