Hong Kong’s national security law hotline draws 100,000 tips in just six months, police say
- An average 550 messages a day logged with platform, according to special department tasked with enforcing Beijing-imposed law in the city
- Last week, the unit arrested five people over allegedly subversive messages posted on social media by a student group
Over the past six months, more than 100,000 messages had been lodged with the intelligence-gathering platform, police said on Monday.
“Thank you for making the reports to the hotline and contributing to safeguarding national security,” a message on the force’s official Facebook page read.
The hotline, which went into operation on November 5, allows the public to send information, photos, and audio and video clips via SMS or WeChat or to a designated email address.
According to police, the hotline is not answered nor are replies made, and personal details are not collected or disclosed to third parties.
On June 30 last year, Beijing imposed a national security law on Hong Kong banning acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces. The offences carry a maximum penalty of life imprisonment.