https://www.scmp.com/rss/506052/feed Latest news and updates on Beijing’s national security law for Hong Kong. The legislation, which was passed by Beijing by promulgation on June 30, 2020, aims to prevent, stop and punish secession, subversion of state power, terrorism and foreign interference. Opposition politicians and critics warn it could be used to suppress dissent and erode freedom in the city. Read the full text of the law here en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Brian Wong Brian Wong The Hong Kong government is seeking to confiscate HK$56.5 million (US$7.2 million) from former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s bank accounts and all of the shares in his 17 companies after he was jailed for 20 years under the national security law, court documents show. The secretary for justice applied to the High Court earlier this month to seize Lai’s assets linked to three conspiracies to instigate foreign sanctions and incite public hatred towards the authorities in 2019 and 2020. The... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3350893/hong-kong-seeks-seize-hk565-million-17-companies-jailed-jimmy-lai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3350893/hong-kong-seeks-seize-hk565-million-17-companies-jailed-jimmy-lai?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 21 Apr 2026 10:35:16 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok A former lawmaker and doctor who was previously imprisoned for conspiracy to commit subversion has been struck off Hong Kong’s register of medical practitioners, becoming the first national security-related disciplinary case to involve the profession. In a ruling handed down on Thursday, the Medical Council ordered that specialist urologist Dr Kwok Ka-ki, 64, be removed indefinitely from the General Register, which took immediate effect upon publication in the government gazette. Kwok, once a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350361/ex-lawmaker-convicted-hong-kong-47-trial-struck-medical-register?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350361/ex-lawmaker-convicted-hong-kong-47-trial-struck-medical-register?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 16 Apr 2026 13:46:32 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial The annual National Security Education Day has been observed across China since its inception in 2015. In Hong Kong, it carried additional significance this year as the city strives to build on the restored stability and prosperity for a new critical stage of development under the nation’s new five-year blueprint. Themed “Proactively Align with the 15th five-year plan: Follow a Holistic Approach to Development and Security”, the message delivered at the official ceremony held in Wan Chai could... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3350154/hong-kong-must-stay-watchful-protect-its-hard-won-prosperity?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3350154/hong-kong-must-stay-watchful-protect-its-hard-won-prosperity?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 23:15:11 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Jeffie Lam Matthew Cheng,Jeffie Lam Beijing’s point man on Hong Kong affairs has urged businesspeople to serve as the “main force” driving the city’s economic development by investing in innovation and the Northern Metropolis megaproject, calling on them to demonstrate their patriotism through “concrete actions”. Xia Baolong, director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, also reminded Hongkongers to remain vigilant for national security threats and be adequately prepared for risks arising from current geopolitical tensions,... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350115/show-patriotism-through-concrete-actions-xia-baolong-tells-hong-kong-businesspeople?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3350115/show-patriotism-through-concrete-actions-xia-baolong-tells-hong-kong-businesspeople?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 15 Apr 2026 03:34:57 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong A Hong Kong retiree has been jailed for a year under the domestic national security law over seditious remarks on social media, after suggesting that last year’s Wang Fuk Court fire could trigger unrest similar to the 2019 anti-government protests. Former salesman Raymond Chong Wai-man, 61, pleaded guilty on Tuesday at West Kowloon Court to knowingly publishing 53 seditious Facebook posts that denigrated the central and local authorities between March 26, 2024 and November 29 last year. Chong, a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3350072/hong-kong-retiree-gets-one-year-jail-seditious-social-media-comments?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3350072/hong-kong-retiree-gets-one-year-jail-seditious-social-media-comments?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 14 Apr 2026 12:12:14 +0000 Leopold Chen Leopold Chen Hong Kong authorities will not “draw a line” on which protesters arrested during the 2019 social unrest are eligible for a rehabilitation programme, the security chief has said, while defending the decision to keep the project a secret until recently. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said on Sunday that the special rehabilitation programme run by his bureau for people arrested in connection with the 2019 anti-government protests had been operating for the past one to two years. “We... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3349779/rehabilitation-project-open-all-2019-hong-kong-protest-arrestees-chris-tang?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3349779/rehabilitation-project-open-all-2019-hong-kong-protest-arrestees-chris-tang?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2026 06:12:57 +0000 Fiona Chow Fiona Chow Hong Kong authorities are proceeding with legal action to confiscate property linked to crimes committed by former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, with a hearing on the matter set to be held in three months. According to a court document seen by the South China Morning Post on Wednesday, the secretary for justice filed an application with the Court of First Instance to confiscate Lai’s property after he was sentenced to 20 years in jail for national security offences. A 60-minute hearing is... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3349371/court-hearing-set-july-confiscating-jimmy-lais-properties?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3349371/court-hearing-set-july-confiscating-jimmy-lais-properties?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 08 Apr 2026 08:24:42 +0000 Bernard Chan Bernard Chan The sentencing of Jimmy Lai Chee-ying has been cited by several Western officials and media outlets as further evidence that Hong Kong’s legal system is in decline. Lai, the founder of the now-closed Apple Daily newspaper, faced multiple charges, including two counts of conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and one count of conspiracy to publish seditious publications. He was convicted last December and sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment in February. That same month, however, the Court of... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348705/dont-let-geopolitical-rivalry-skew-debate-over-jimmy-lais-sentencing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3348705/dont-let-geopolitical-rivalry-skew-debate-over-jimmy-lais-sentencing?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 03 Apr 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Oscar Liu Oscar Liu The government has filed an application to confiscate properties linked to crimes committed by former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying in accordance with Hong Kong’s national security laws. A government spokesman on Thursday also said the application filed with the Court of First Instance aimed to achieve the “important objectives of preventing and suppressing acts and activities endangering national security”. Lai, 78, founder of the now-defunct Apple Daily tabloid-style newspaper was sentenced... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348846/hong-kong-authorities-seek-forfeiture-order-properties-tied-jimmy-lais-crimes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348846/hong-kong-authorities-seek-forfeiture-order-properties-tied-jimmy-lais-crimes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Apr 2026 13:21:19 +0000 Chen Xiaofeng Chen Xiaofeng On March 23, Hong Kong’s government brought into force amended implementation rules for Article 43 of the national security law. This is not a new power grab or an expansion of authority. It is a technical, evidence-based refinement of the 2020 implementation rules that have governed national security enforcement since the law took effect. Rooted in common law principle and aligned with global legislative practice, the amendments clarify operational gaps, strengthen procedural certainty and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3347880/lets-be-clear-national-security-law-update-not-power-grab?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3347880/lets-be-clear-national-security-law-update-not-power-grab?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 30 Mar 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Jeffie Lam Jeffie Lam Beijing has summoned the United States’ top envoy in Hong Kong to protest against the consulate’s move to issue an alert to American citizens about legal changes in the city that punish those who withhold smartphone passwords from police during national security investigations. The foreign ministry’s office in Hong Kong revealed on Saturday that its commissioner, Cui Jianchun, had summoned and lodged “solemn representations” with US Consul General Julie Eadeh the day before in response to the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348234/hong-kong-government-defends-changes-national-security-law-after-us-alert?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3348234/hong-kong-government-defends-changes-national-security-law-after-us-alert?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 28 Mar 2026 05:23:25 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Hong Kong has condemned the United Kingdom for undermining the city’s rule of law and meddling in local affairs after British authorities pledged to use “every opportunity” to press for the release of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, who was jailed for 20 years over national security offences. The government issued a strong rebuttal in the early hours of Friday, dismissing London’s comments as “misleading and irresponsible” after the UK expressed concerns over Hong Kong’s erosion of human... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348075/hong-kong-slams-uk-undermining-citys-rule-law-calls-release-jimmy-lai?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3348075/hong-kong-slams-uk-undermining-citys-rule-law-calls-release-jimmy-lai?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 27 Mar 2026 03:29:47 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Threats to national security around the world have become more complex and varied amid heightened geopolitical tensions and technological advances. Laws designed to guard against such threats and the rules governing their implementation need to keep pace with developments. On Monday, Hong Kong introduced a raft of changes to regulations on the enforcement of the city’s national security law, passed by Beijing in 2020. It is the first time, except for a minor technical amendment in 2023, that the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3347749/rule-changes-will-help-hong-kong-better-combat-national-security-threats?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/comment/article/3347749/rule-changes-will-help-hong-kong-better-combat-national-security-threats?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 23:15:13 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Hong Kong authorities will be able to demand any “specified person” decrypt electronic devices during national security investigations and may punish suspects who provide wrong passwords or falsely claim to have forgotten them, the security chief has told lawmakers. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung stressed on Tuesday that recent amendments to the national security law’s implementation rules did not create new law enforcement powers. “These amendments have only improved some... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3347762/hidden-gurus-will-be-able-decrypt-devices-hong-kong-national-security-cases?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3347762/hidden-gurus-will-be-able-decrypt-devices-hong-kong-national-security-cases?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 15:41:53 +0000 Danny Mok Danny Mok The founder of an independent bookstore in Hong Kong and three staff have been arrested for selling a biography of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee‑ying and other publications deemed seditious by authorities, the South China Morning Post has learned. Pong Yat-ming, who founded Book Punch in 2020 in Sham Shui Po, was detained along with three female employees. They face accusations of selling seditious publications and breaching the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, a source said on... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3347759/hong-kong-bookstore-owner-3-staff-held-selling-jimmy-lai-biography?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3347759/hong-kong-bookstore-owner-3-staff-held-selling-jimmy-lai-biography?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 14:48:56 +0000 Fiona Chow Fiona Chow A former Hong Kong civil servant has been jailed for 12 months for threatening to burn down the newsrooms of the South China Morning Post and five other media outlets if they refused to publish seditious material he had created to frame the husband of his former girlfriend. West Kowloon Court on Tuesday heard the guilty pleas from Tse Chun-pan, 43, who had set up a website selling merchandise themed around the 2019 anti-government protests and demanded that six local media publish screenshots of... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3347751/jealous-hongkonger-who-threatened-burn-6-media-newsrooms-jailed-1-year?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3347751/jealous-hongkonger-who-threatened-burn-6-media-newsrooms-jailed-1-year?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 13:44:07 +0000 Jess Ma,Matthew Cheng Jess Ma,Matthew Cheng Changes to Hong Kong’s implementation rules for the national security law will improve operational efficiency amid heightened geopolitical risks, experts have said, while a criminal law specialist has argued that the amendments expand authorities’ powers and that some legal privacy protections may be too technical to apply. Another legal expert and a former security minister said the amendments aimed to clearly lay out investigation procedures for searches under existing national security law... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347632/hong-kongs-national-security-better-protected-changes-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347632/hong-kongs-national-security-better-protected-changes-experts-say?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:30:12 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong A Hong Kong barrister turned activist on trial for allegedly inciting subversion has accused Beijing of undermining the nation’s constitutional order by entrenching one-party rule, describing the move as a regression. Chow Hang-tung told West Kowloon Court on Monday that mainland China took a step backwards in 2018 by amending the constitution to enshrine the Communist Party’s leadership in its main text at a time when the country was gradually heading towards constitutional democracy. She... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3347577/anti-china-activist-trial-subversion-calls-one-party-rule-regression?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3347577/anti-china-activist-trial-subversion-calls-one-party-rule-regression?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 08:49:47 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong Hong Kong police have charged two men with a fresh terrorism offence under the national security law over an alleged bomb plot dating back three years. Prosecutors on Monday applied to Eastern Court to amend the charges against Ng Tsz-kit, 36, and Ho Chi-hang, 35, ahead of the case being transferred to the High Court for trial. The pair now face a conspiracy charge of committing terrorist acts for allegedly attempting to coerce central and local authorities or to intimidate the public through... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3347564/hong-kong-police-file-fresh-terrorism-charge-against-pair-over-alleged-bomb-plot?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3347564/hong-kong-police-file-fresh-terrorism-charge-against-pair-over-alleged-bomb-plot?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 07:42:32 +0000 Matthew Cheng Matthew Cheng Hongkongers who refuse to provide passwords for smartphones or other electronic devices during national security investigations face up to a year in jail under legal changes that also allow police to question organisations if they have reasonable belief that they are overseas political groups or agents of foreign forces. The government said the new rules would not affect people’s daily lives or how institutions normally operated. The amendments, gazetted on Monday, are the first substantial... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347556/withholding-device-passwords-punishable-under-tightened-national-security-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3347556/withholding-device-passwords-punishable-under-tightened-national-security-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 06:57:09 +0000 Ronny Tong Ronny Tong In my experience, most people misunderstand the concept of “separation of powers”, and so I would not be at all surprised if most people also misunderstand the term “executive-led government”. In the case of separation of powers, the confusion usually arises from the use of the word “separation”. It connotes a meaning of absolute independence or alienation. A better word would have been “division”. The concept of separation of powers focuses on the division of power in a government and how that... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346623/heres-what-executive-led-government-really-means-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346623/heres-what-executive-led-government-really-means-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Mar 2026 01:30:09 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong A former Hong Kong lawmaker on trial for allegedly inciting subversion has denied abetting criminal activity by supporting mainland Chinese dissidents, accusing Beijing of levelling false charges against them. Prosecutors on Wednesday challenged Lee Cheuk-yan’s claim that he had no intention to incite others to overthrow the mainland’s communist rule when he called for an end to “one-party dictatorship” as former chairman of the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3347061/former-hong-kong-lawmaker-denies-abetting-criminal-activity-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3347061/former-hong-kong-lawmaker-denies-abetting-criminal-activity-mainland-china?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 18 Mar 2026 12:00:57 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong A former Hong Kong opposition politician has argued that China’s one-party rule system is incompatible with the country’s constitution and fails to safeguard people’s fundamental rights, as he defended his calls to end “dictatorship” in a high-profile subversion trial. Ex-lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan, a former chairman of the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, argued on Tuesday that calling for an end to “one-party dictatorship” in mainland China... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3346900/tiananmen-vigil-activist-trial-says-one-party-rule-contradicts-countrys-constitution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3346900/tiananmen-vigil-activist-trial-says-one-party-rule-contradicts-countrys-constitution?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 10:36:25 +0000 Cui Jianchun Cui Jianchun On February 10, China’s State Council Information Office released a white paper titled “Hong Kong: Safeguarding China’s National Security Under the Framework of One Country, Two Systems”. This is the third white paper issued by the Chinese central government on Hong Kong-related affairs since 2014. It reviews Hong Kong’s efforts in safeguarding national security, elaborates on the central government’s stance on Hong Kong’s role in maintaining national security and summarises the experience and... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346515/how-national-security-and-one-country-two-systems-go-hand-hand?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3346515/how-national-security-and-one-country-two-systems-go-hand-hand?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 17 Mar 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Natalie Wong Natalie Wong Hong Kong’s terrorism threat level remains moderate amid the escalating conflict in the Middle East, the city’s security chief has said, urging residents to stay vigilant in the globally connected city. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said on Sunday that while no intelligence suggested an imminent attack, Hong Kong must “be prepared” and residents should report anything suspicious to police. “The Russia-Ukraine war is not over, and there is conflict in the Middle East,” Tang told a... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3346643/terrorism-threat-hong-kong-moderate-amid-middle-east-war-security-chief?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3346643/terrorism-threat-hong-kong-moderate-amid-middle-east-war-security-chief?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Mar 2026 07:25:24 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong Two former leaders of a now-disbanded alliance behind Hong Kong’s annual Tiananmen Square vigil have a case to answer in a high-profile trial after judges ruled the evidence supported prosecutors’ allegations that the activists incited others to overthrow the Communist Party of China leadership. Three High Court judges on Friday found that the evidence appeared to suggest Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung committed a subversion offence as leaders of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3346478/2-tiananmen-vigil-activists-have-case-answer-subversion-trial-court-rules?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3346478/2-tiananmen-vigil-activists-have-case-answer-subversion-trial-court-rules?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Mar 2026 07:16:52 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong The former executive editor-in-chief of Hong Kong’s defunct Apple Daily newspaper, founded by Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, has lodged an appeal against his 10-year sentence imposed under the national security law. Lam Man-chung’s lawyer filed the application at the Court of Appeal on Friday, ahead of the statutory 28-day deadline for criminal appeals expiring on Monday. The 56-year-old is the second defendant to seek a reduced sentence after Fung Wai-kong, 62, managing editor of Apple Daily’s English... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345937/former-apple-daily-executive-editor-appeals-10-year-sentence-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345937/former-apple-daily-executive-editor-appeals-10-year-sentence-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 09 Mar 2026 05:51:51 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong Former Hong Kong media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying has decided not to appeal against his conviction and 20-year jail sentence imposed in a landmark national security trial, the South China Morning Post has learned. A member of Lai’s Hong Kong legal team, who asked not to be named, confirmed to the SCMP on Friday that Lai would not file an application to the Court of Appeal before the usual 28-day deadline for lodging an appeal in criminal proceedings expires on Monday. “We can confirm we have clear... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345656/jimmy-lai-opts-against-appeal-20-year-sentence-after-national-security-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345656/jimmy-lai-opts-against-appeal-20-year-sentence-after-national-security-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 06 Mar 2026 03:41:29 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma A former Apple Daily senior executive jailed for national security offences in Hong Kong has lodged an appeal against his 10-year term, the first in a landmark trial that saw the founder of the now-defunct tabloid-style newspaper sentenced to 20 years in prison. Court documents reviewed by the South China Morning Post on Tuesday showed that Fung Wai-kong, former managing editor of Apple Daily’s English edition, had filed his appeal with the city’s High Court on Monday. Fung was sentenced to 10... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345277/ex-apple-daily-executive-first-appeal-sentence-landmark-hong-kong-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3345277/ex-apple-daily-executive-first-appeal-sentence-landmark-hong-kong-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 03 Mar 2026 09:42:45 +0000 Fiona Chow Fiona Chow A Hong Kong court has sentenced the father of a wanted activist to eight months in jail for attempting to cash out an insurance policy worth more than HK$88,000 (US$11,251) in his daughter’s name, rejecting suggestions that the sentence amounted to “collective punishment” against a relative of a fugitive. Kwok Yin-sang, 69, became the first person jailed for trying to deal with the financial assets of an absconder – his 29-year-old daughter, Anna Kwok Fung-yee, a United States-based activist who... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3344706/hong-kong-fugitives-father-jailed-trying-cash-out-her-insurance-policy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3344706/hong-kong-fugitives-father-jailed-trying-cash-out-her-insurance-policy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 26 Feb 2026 06:52:28 +0000 Grenville Cross Grenville Cross After being sentenced to 20 years’ imprisonment for national security offences on February 9, Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying will decide if he wishes to appeal. He may challenge his convictions and/or sentences and has about two weeks to make up his mind. Given the length of his trial (156 days), the mountain of evidence and the legal issues, it will take time for any appeal to be resolved. Meanwhile, foreign actors have turned their attention to securing Lai’s early release. The lead... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344253/speedy-pardon-jimmy-lai-case-unlikely?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/china-opinion/article/3344253/speedy-pardon-jimmy-lai-case-unlikely?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Feb 2026 01:30:08 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Natalie Wong Matthew Cheng,Natalie Wong A Hong Kong court has dismissed appeals by 12 opposition activists to overturn their convictions or reduce their sentences in the city’s largest national security case, upholding a finding that an unofficial 2020 primary election was subversive and that the seven-year starting point for jail terms was not “manifestly excessive”. The Court of Appeal on Monday also upheld the acquittal of barrister Lawrence Lau Wai-chung, one of the 47 activists prosecuted in the landmark case of conspiracy to... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3344367/hong-kong-court-dismisses-appeal-12-activists-over-landmark-subversion-case?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3344367/hong-kong-court-dismisses-appeal-12-activists-over-landmark-subversion-case?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 12:15:17 +0000 Fiona Chow Fiona Chow A Hong Kong news commentator faces up to seven years in jail if convicted of posting seditious content online, including comments about the deadly Tai Po fire, after his case was transferred to the higher District Court. Chief Magistrate Victor So Wai-tak on Monday granted prosecutors’ request to move Wong Kwok-ngon’s sedition case from West Kowloon Court to the District Court, where the maximum sentence is capped at seven years. Sentences at the magistrates’ courts are generally limited to two... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3344342/hong-kong-commentator-could-face-7-years-jail-over-seditious-online-content?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3344342/hong-kong-commentator-could-face-7-years-jail-over-seditious-online-content?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 09:15:43 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words The government’s unprecedented decision to conduct open recruitment for the post of director of information services is a stark reminder of the persistent difficulty it has faced in strengthening its public relations and publicity machinery. Over the past 28 years, no fewer than... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3344238/geopolitical-tensions-rise-hong-kong-needs-clear-confident-messaging?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3344238/geopolitical-tensions-rise-hong-kong-needs-clear-confident-messaging?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 03:30:09 +0000 Natalie Wong,Matthew Cheng,Edith Lin,Brian Wong Natalie Wong,Matthew Cheng,Edith Lin,Brian Wong Hong Kong’s Court of Appeal has dismissed the appeals by 12 opposition activists seeking to overturn their convictions or have their sentences reduced, following the city’s largest national security trial to date. The appellate court on Monday also upheld the acquittal of one of 47 defendants prosecuted in the high-profile case of conspiracy to subvert state power. A heavy police presence was seen outside the West Kowloon Court on Monday morning, with around 100 officers stationed at the... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3344284/hong-kong-court-rule-appeals-activists-largest-national-security-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3344284/hong-kong-court-rule-appeals-activists-largest-national-security-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Feb 2026 01:31:22 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words The expansion of the British National (Overseas) route by the Labour government may appear benevolent at first glance, but I wonder if it is a politically calculated move that prioritises party image over genuine support for migrants. As right-wing parties gain traction, is the... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3344069/how-sincere-labours-narrative-compassion-bno-pathway?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3344069/how-sincere-labours-narrative-compassion-bno-pathway?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 22 Feb 2026 03:30:08 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words The sentencing of Jimmy Lai Chee-ying to 20 years in prison marks a pivotal moment in Hong Kong’s journey towards restoring the rule of law and social stability. This landmark ruling, followed by the State Council’s release of a white paper on safeguarding national security in... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3344096/jimmy-lai-case-verdict-and-state-councils-white-paper-send-strong-message?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3344096/jimmy-lai-case-verdict-and-state-councils-white-paper-send-strong-message?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Feb 2026 03:30:07 +0000 Letters Letters Feel strongly about these letters, or any other aspects of the news? Share your views by emailing us your Letter to the Editor at letters@scmp.com or filling in this Google form. Submissions should not exceed 400 words Hong Kong’s High Court has sentenced Jimmy Lai Chee-ying to 20 years in prison for violating the national security law, following his conviction in December last year for conspiracy to collude with foreign forces and conspiracy to publish seditious materials. Some mainstream... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3343997/orderly-hong-kong-can-remain-open-and-outward-looking?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/letters/article/3343997/orderly-hong-kong-can-remain-open-and-outward-looking?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 20 Feb 2026 03:30:08 +0000 Fiona Chow Fiona Chow A Hong Kong appellate court will announce its decisions next Monday on the appeals of 12 activists convicted of conspiring to subvert state power in an unofficial election, and also rule on an acquitted defendant in the city’s largest national security trial. Eleven of the 12 found guilty over a scheme during the 2020 Legislative Council election to undermine, destroy or overthrow the administration earlier lodged appeals against their convictions and sentences. They have been serving jail... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3343713/hong-kong-court-announce-verdict-appeals-12-jailed-activists-february-23?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3343713/hong-kong-court-announce-verdict-appeals-12-jailed-activists-february-23?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Feb 2026 06:39:42 +0000 Zhang Muyang Zhang Muyang As a long-time observer of Hong Kong affairs – and someone who cares deeply about the city – I have often felt that external debates about Hong Kong have been louder than careful assessments of how the city is actually evolving. Since the implementation of the national security law, discussion of Hong Kong has often become polarised. Less attention has been paid to outcomes and observable change. From where I stand, however, a clear shift is under way: the city has moved from prolonged... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3343500/hong-kongs-success-debunks-false-binary-security-vs-freedom?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3343500/hong-kongs-success-debunks-false-binary-security-vs-freedom?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 15 Feb 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Fiona Sun Fiona Sun The Chinese foreign ministry’s arm in Hong Kong has lodged “solemn representations” with local envoys for Britain, the US, Australia and the EU over remarks made by their officials and politicians about the sentencing of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying. The Commissioner’s Office of China’s Foreign Ministry in Hong Kong issued a statement on Saturday, saying it had summoned representatives from the countries and the bloc on Wednesday and Thursday. “The commissioner’s office lodged solemn... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3343589/beijing-slams-us-uk-australia-and-eu-over-jimmy-lai-sentencing-remarks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3343589/beijing-slams-us-uk-australia-and-eu-over-jimmy-lai-sentencing-remarks?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 12:01:26 +0000 Alex Lo Alex Lo There is this old British chestnut that says justice must not only be done, but must be seen to be done. Justice has been amply served in the 20-year sentence handed down to former media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, but it has not been seen to be done in many quarters, especially in the West. There is the reality of justice and the appearance of it, and the two don’t always or even usually coincide. There are two main reasons behind the widespread Western criticism of Lai’s case. One is that... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3343269/western-media-criticism-jimmy-lai-case-verdict-needs-fact-check?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3343269/western-media-criticism-jimmy-lai-case-verdict-needs-fact-check?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 14 Feb 2026 01:30:10 +0000 Jess Ma Jess Ma Hong Kong’s police chief has said that national security remains a priority despite the city’s overall stabilising social situation, citing absconders and foreign forces among lingering threats. Commissioner of Police Joe Chow Yat-ming said on Wednesday the force would continue to ramp up intelligence gathering and enhance national security education among officers and the public, especially young people. “National security is a concept that requires everyone’s participation. That’s why we need... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3343227/police-chief-says-no-let-national-security-despite-stability-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3343227/police-chief-says-no-let-national-security-despite-stability-hong-kong?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 14:12:49 +0000 Brian Wong Brian Wong The father of a wanted Hong Kong activist has been convicted under the city’s domestic national security law for trying to cash out an insurance policy worth more than HK$88,000 in his daughter’s name. West Kowloon Court on Wednesday convicted Kwok Yin-sang of attempting to deal with the financial assets of US-based activist Anna Kwok Fung-yee, despite knowing authorities had classified her as an absconder under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance. The defendant, 69, is the first person... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3343176/hong-kong-fugitive-anna-kwoks-dad-guilty-trying-cash-out-hk88000-policy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3343176/hong-kong-fugitive-anna-kwoks-dad-guilty-trying-cash-out-hk88000-policy?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 11 Feb 2026 08:42:48 +0000 Cui Jianchun Cui Jianchun On February 9, the rule of law and justice scored another victory in Hong Kong when a local court sentenced Jimmy Lai Chee-ying to 20 years in prison for violating the national security law. This sends a clear and resounding message to the world that Hong Kong is a society rigorously governed by law, and any lawbreakers will be brought to justice. Lai reaped what he sowed. The evidence of his crimes is irrefutable. He relentlessly pushed for so-called international lobbying, went to great... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3343025/jimmy-lai-ruling-shows-hong-kongs-resolve-uphold-rule-law?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3343025/jimmy-lai-ruling-shows-hong-kongs-resolve-uphold-rule-law?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 23:30:08 +0000 SCMP Editorial SCMP Editorial Safeguarding national security does not come to an end with the jailing of former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying. A timely reminder came on Tuesday as Beijing published a white paper warning of zero tolerance of any offences in its “unrelenting fight” to defend national security. The State Council’s document expounded on the responsibility of the central government for national security, the achievements of the local government in fulfilling its constitutional duty in safeguarding national... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3343077/hong-kong-must-keep-unrelenting-fight-safeguard-national-security?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/article/3343077/hong-kong-must-keep-unrelenting-fight-safeguard-national-security?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 23:15:13 +0000 Ronny Tong Ronny Tong After 156 days of hearings, Jimmy Lai Chee-ying’s case finally came to a close with the former media boss sentenced to 20 years of imprisonment. Western media and critics will no doubt say, what a harsh sentence for a “democracy advocate” and “freedom fighter”. However, Lai was not accused of fighting for freedom or demanding democracy in Hong Kong. His crimes were not even about his avowed hatred of the Communist Party. Western critics may be surprised to hear that hating the Communist Party is... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3343014/collusion-serious-offence-let-jimmy-lais-case-be-example?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/hong-kong-opinion/article/3343014/collusion-serious-offence-let-jimmy-lais-case-be-example?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 12:30:08 +0000 Victor Sanjinez,Carlos Araujo Victor Sanjinez,Carlos Araujo Key dates in Jimmy Lai’s Hong Kong national security case https://www.scmp.com/infographics/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3342935/key-dates-jimmy-lais-hong-kong-national-security-case?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/infographics/hong-kong/law-and-crime/article/3342935/key-dates-jimmy-lais-hong-kong-national-security-case?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 09:00:08 +0000 Matthew Cheng,Jeffie Lam Matthew Cheng,Jeffie Lam Beijing has issued a white paper on Hong Kong’s role in safeguarding national security under the “one country, two systems” principle, stressing that the city’s struggle on this front “is persistent” and a “long-term and enduring task”. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday that the paper, published a day after former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying was sentenced to 20 years in prison for national security crimes, served as a stern warning to “traitors who betrayed the country and Hong... https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3342990/hong-kongs-national-security-work-ongoing-process-beijing-says-white-paper?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/politics/article/3342990/hong-kongs-national-security-work-ongoing-process-beijing-says-white-paper?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 02:44:39 +0000 Haining Gao Haining Gao China published a white paper about Hong Kong and national security a day after former media boss Jimmy Lai Chee-ying was jailed for 20 years under the city’s national security law. “The Chinese government is publishing this white paper to review Hong Kong’s endeavors in safeguarding national security and the experience and insights gained in the process, and also to clear up confusion and misunderstandings surrounding the issue to build consensus, and to ensure the high-quality development of... https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/article/3342988/hong-kong-and-national-security-china-white-paper?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/news/article/3342988/hong-kong-and-national-security-china-white-paper?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 10 Feb 2026 02:37:49 +0000