Article 23 law will not ‘alter the confidential nature of confessions’, Catholic diocese of Hong Kong says
- Catholic diocese addresses concerns that religious figures may breach law by failing to report acts or thoughts endangering national security
- Security chief Chris Tang calls on Legco to waive notices required to allow second reading of domestic national security bill to resume ‘as soon as possible’
Hong Kong’s Catholic diocese on Friday underlined that the new domestic national security bill would not “alter the confidential nature of confessions” as lawmakers unanimously agreed to waive notices so the government could fast track the legislation for a final vetting in the legislature.
The Legislative Council’s House Committee approved the streamlined arrangements for the Safeguarding National Security Bill on Friday after Chris Tang Ping-keung, the Secretary for Security, made the request so the bill’s second reading could resume “as soon as possible”.
Lawmakers will also be given a deadline of noon on Saturday to move any amendments to the bill after the house committee accepted a proposal by legislator Jeffrey Lam Kin-fung, who is also a member of the government’s key decision-making body the Executive Council.
Lam told the Post after the meeting that “in theory” a full meeting could be called right after the deadline to resume the second reading and start the third reading – a final step in the legislative process that could put the security bill on the statute books.
The city’s Catholic diocese said on Friday it recognised that residents had an obligation to ensure national security.
“The legislation of Article 23 will not alter the confidential nature of confession (sacrament of reconciliation) of the church,” it said.