Hong Kong national security law: government publishes annotations, case summaries as ‘convenient and practical tool’ for public

Webpage gives explanatory notes to security legislation and sedition offence, as well as 106 case summaries, including some of tycoon Jimmy Lai’s lawsuits

Secretary for Justice Paul Lam calls new resource ‘convenient and practical tool for promoting national security education’

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A promotional banner for the national security law. The new webpage comprises seven parts, including two forewords, a preface, a 2,900-word introduction, as well as the security law’s full text and two sections of the Crimes Ordinance related to sedition. Photo: AP

Published: 6:35pm, 28 Dec 2023Updated: 6:50pm, 28 Dec 2023

Hong Kong’s justice department has published annotated versions of the Beijing-imposed national security law and the colonial-era sedition offence, as well as 106 case summaries as a “a convenient and practical tool” for public education and legal research.

The department on Thursday said a dedicated webpage featuring the information aimed to improve understanding of the legislation and raise awareness of security issues.

In a foreword on the webpage, Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok said the case summaries would help residents understand how courts were applying the laws.

“The webpage will serve as a convenient and practical tool for promoting national security education and conducting legal research on our national security laws,” he said.

The online resource was last updated on Thursday.

Albert Chen Hung-yee, a University of Hong Kong law professor and former Basic Law Committee member, served as the “honorary consultant editor” and also penned a foreword.