Hong Kong national security law: suspects could be held in special detention facilities
- Suspects could be held for as long as authorities see fit, source tells the Post
- The centres could function similar to ‘white house’ British colonial government once used to hold people suspected of political crimes, insider says
Although Beijing has yet to specify the penalties for offenders, it has promised to uphold presumption of innocence and other rights safeguards.
The detention facilities could function similar to the former “white house” the British colonial government used during the last century to hold people suspected of political crimes. It was operated by Royal Hong Kong Police Force’s Special Branch, an arm that worked in conjunction with Britain’s MI6 security service in the city, before being disbanded in 1995.
Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor has agreed with the need for the commission, as well as for new arms in the police force and the Department of Justice to handle cases.
Several sources close to the central government confirmed the city was looking into establishing separate facilities for detention, interrogation and investigation when needed, instead of holding suspects in police stations after being arrested.