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Hong Kong national security law: city’s media bosses call on Beijing to publish draft legislation
- News Executives’ Association very concerned about ‘far-reaching impact’ law could have on press freedom
- Concerns add to growing unease, with information on it limited to what has been released through state media
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Hong Kong’s senior media executives want the full draft of the national security law to be released so it can be scrutinised, amid fears and wider concerns over legislation that could be passed next week.
Adding to the growing unease surrounding the wider unknowns of the law Beijing is tailor-making for the city, the Hong Kong News Executives’ Association said on Friday it “strongly requests that the National People’s Congress Standing Committee (NPCSC) make public the specific provisions of the draft before making a decision, to allow all walks of life the opportunity to express more comprehensive opinions”.
So far little information, except for that conveyed through state news agency Xinhua, has been made public.
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Designed to prevent, stop and punish acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces to endanger national security, the law has sparked widespread concern over the potential impact on the city’s freedoms, despite repeated reassurances from officials it would target only a minority of lawbreakers.
03:18
Hong Kong’s national security law is like ‘anti-virus software’, top Beijing official says
Hong Kong’s national security law is like ‘anti-virus software’, top Beijing official says
The body representing executives from the city’s newspaper and broadcasting outlets said it was “very concerned about the draft of the national security law”, noting the “far-reaching impact” it would have, including on freedom of the press.
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