Hong Kong’s Article 23 bill: clause-by-clause deliberations end on day 6 with series of amendments to existing laws examined
- Government later submits amended bill based on previous days’ discussions, giving lawmakers no more than 11 hours to read changes before meeting again
- Discussion on Wednesday was about amendments to other existing laws concerning early release from prison and suspension of pension payments
The government submitted an amended bill based on the previous days’ discussions after 10pm, giving lawmakers no more than 11 hours to read the changes before discussing them on Thursday morning.
The bills committee chair will then report about the amended legislation to the House Committee. The step is essential to prepare the bill for final approval at a full Legislative Council meeting.
Full Legco meetings are typically held on Wednesdays, but insiders noted that exceptions could be made. A special meeting, for instance, was called last Friday to expedite the bill’s first reading.
March 13
Unlawful harassment of persons handling cases or work concerning national security
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Some lawmakers asked for the prosecution threshold to be lowered, saying clauses were “too kind” to offenders by allowing them to defend themselves with the argument that their conduct was “reasonable in the circumstances”.
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But officials brushed aside these suggestions, stressing it was important to look into one’s conduct in different scenarios based on fairness and reasonableness.
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Even if the offence would not apply extraterritorially, local courts would still have the power to step in if messages of harassment were sent from overseas to Hong Kong as long as some part of the action took place within the city.