Any move to invoke emergency powers to bring in mask ban in Hong Kong would need to consider impact on society, justice minister says
- Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng says effectiveness of using Emergency Regulations Ordinance would have to be considered
- Some pro-establishment parties have backed the move but Chief Executive Carrie Lam is reluctant to take that step
Before invoking emergency powers to ban the use of masks in Hong Kong, officials would first need to consider the effectiveness of such a move and any impact on society, Secretary for Justice Teresa Cheng Yeuk-wah has said.
The law would give the government sweeping powers to tackle the civil unrest that has gripped the city for more than three months.
Without committing to any of the suggestions on how to bring in the ban, Cheng said the government had studied the legal practicalities of an anti-mask law, and there were a lot of factors to consider on whether it should be implemented.
“We can only use the Emergency Regulations Ordinance under relevant requirements,” she said before departing on a work trip to South Korea. “Also, we need to consider the overall impact or consequences to society, or whether it can have any effect.”