Proposed national security laws are a threat to independent teaching and research, according to more than 100 academics who this week endorsed a signature campaign calling for a thorough government consultation through a white bill.
The academics, from various disciplines and institutions, say there are extensive grey areas in the proposals released in late September for public consultation. Article 23 of the Basic Law requires the government to legislate on security matters. But as proposed, the spread or mere possession of materials inciting others to commit treason, sedition, secession or subversion could also be an offence.
A white bill would contain actual provisions on liability for the offences.
'As an educator, I cannot control the consequence of what I teach. I teach students to help and organise underprivileged, vulnerable groups to seek redress from the government. Would I be held responsible if group members later engage in violence threatening state security?' said Fung Ho Lup, a social work associate professor at the Chinese University (CUHK) and initiator of the campaign.
Self-censorship in academia would increase should the proposals be adopted, said research officer at CUHK's Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, Dr Timothy Wong Ka-ying. 'Self-censorship has already happened among China researchers following the arrest of academics like Li Shaomin in China last year. In future, the scope of sensitive areas that researchers try to avoid will only get wider and not just be limited to the mainland.'
Hong Kong's academic exchanges with Taiwan could be minimised, under secession provisions, he warned. A specialist on Taiwan studies, he said he would switch his focus of research should specific rules on what constitute the offences be lacking. 'I might be arrested after giving views on independence issue at a seminar organised by official bodies in Taiwan.' The laws also have extra-territorial applications.
The Secretary for Security, Regina Ip Lau Suk-yee, was booed by students at university forums in the past weeks. She insisted a blue bill to be submitted to the Legislative Council was needed.
