The controversial proposals were laid out in a consultation
document issued by the Hong Kong government in September 2002.
The proposed "Article 23 of the Basic Law" will prohibit foreign
political organisations or bodies from conducting political
activities in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, for
purposes of national security, and will make it illegal for similar
Hong Kong organisations to "establish ties" with foreign political
bodies.
The law provides for a maximum of seven years' imprisonment for
anyone who publishes information characterised as a "seditious
publication" or as "endangering the stability of China and Hong
Kong."
According to human rights body Human Rights Watch, the proposed
Article 23 will create broad offences that could result in the
erosion of basic civil rights, such as freedom of speech, therefore
compromising Hong Kong's international commitments related to human
rights.
It is also feared that the proposed legislation could be abused
by the Hong Kong government to justify internet restrictions
similar to those in China, where all foreign web sites referring to
the country are blocked.
In an open letter sent to Hong King Chief Executive C.H. Tung,
the Human Rights Watch claims that the period of public
consultation must be longer, and urges the region's government to
justify the necessity of the measure.
The Hong Kong Government, on the other hand, claims that it
received more than 90,000 submissions from organisations and
individuals during the consultation, which ended on 24th December
2002, and that all views will be considered before the
implementation of the law.
The consultation document, and more information on Article 23,
is available from:
www.info.gov.hk/sb/eng/23/index.html
