Hong Kong lawmakers’ plea for tougher restrictions on people arrested under planned domestic national security law rejected on human rights grounds

Secretary for Security Chris Tang says 16-day detention period gives police sufficient time to gather evidence and also preserves human rights

Lawmakers said they had concerns over lack of flexibility for further extensions to detention periods because of complexity of national security cases

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Police officers walk along a bridge decorated with flags in Wan Chai. Currently, the force can detain a suspect for 48 hours without charge, with the proposed law granting them an additional 14 days. Photo: Jelly Tse

Published: 4:52pm, 11 Mar 2024Updated: 12:16am, 12 Mar 2024

Hong Kong lawmakers have called for tougher treatment for people arrested under a coming domestic national security law than the government proposed, including a detention period longer than the suggested 14 days and stricter surveillance of suspects out on bail.

But authorities maintained on Monday the originally proposed provisions were “sufficient” and the city had to ensure the protection of human rights.

The Legislative Council debate on the Safeguarding National Security Bill focused on the proposed 14-day extension of the detention period, in addition to the present 48 hours, the right of those detained to consult a lawyer and the addition of a movement restriction order for people released on bail.

Some lawmakers said a few of the rules were too inflexible and that the government was “tying its own hands”.

They asked whether the cap that only allowed police to extend the normal detention period by up to 14 days could be lifted.

Secretary for Security Chris Tang says a 14-day detention period “should be enough” for suspects held under the proposed legislation. Photo: Yik Yeung-man

“Given that we have laid out thorough conditions [on prolonging the detention], why should we impose a limit on the period of extension, rather than allow more flexibility?” Kitson Yang Wing-kit said.