The Chinese government has introduced security laws in Hong Kong which has led to global outrage. A group of experts have called these laws draconian, indicating they will erode the progress the city has made in the last few decades.
A strongly-worded statement from politicians and top lawyers from 23 countries, including Hong Kong’s governor, Chris Patten, has raised concern over the newly introduced security laws by China.
Warning about the new security laws
They warned that the security laws are a comprehensive assault to the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong citizens. The right to assemble and the democracy Hong Kong has enjoyed for long would be curtailed according to the statement.
Patten noted the global outrage was a consensus by many countries about the ‘draconian’ rules China was introducing in Hong Kong. The decision to impose the security laws unilaterally to the people of Hong Kong would mark the end of democracy for the autonomous city.
International criticism
The way of life in the city is expected to change with the introduction of security laws. Speaking about these changes, Mike Pompeo, the US secretary of state said the laws were ‘death knell’ for the city’s autonomy.
Pro-democracy demonstration demonstrations were rampant in Hong Kong before the coronavirus global pandemic spread to the city. The demonstrations were push back from increased pressure from the Chinese government to the Hong Kong government to take control of the city.
Fast forward to now, China has taken a bolder approach in ensuring it has control over the city. The new security laws will have provisions such as “treason, secession, sedition [and] subversion” which can be used at any time to detain Hong Kong Citizens.
The security laws will also end up eroding the freedoms the city has enjoyed since it gained independence from the UK in 1997, according to the experts. The statement also noted that the security laws would also set Hong Kong behind and erode the gains they had made on transparency.
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