Hong Kong’s opposition-free legislature has unanimously passed new homegrown security legislation, making treason, insurrection and sabotage punishable by up to life in prison, and rejecting Western criticism that the law would further restrict the city’s freedoms.
Lawmakers gathered in the Legislative Council (LegCo) Chamber on Tuesday to vote on the Safeguarding National Security Bill, just days after a draft was introduced to the legislature. All 89 legislators voted in favour of the bill’s passage.
In an unusual move, LegCo President Andrew Leung also cast a vote. “As the president of the Legislative Council, I would not vote in usual circumstances,” Leung said in Cantonese. “However, legislation of Article 23 is not just any other piece of legislation, it relates to national security in Hong Kong, it is of the utmost importance, so at this historical moment I will vote in favour of the bill.”
Chief Executive John Lee entered the LegCo Chamber after the passage of the bill to address lawmakers.
“Today is a historical moment in Hong Kong, a historical moment we have waited 26 years, eight months and 19 days for… Today, Hong Kong finally completed its constitutional duty of legislating Article 23 of the Basic Law. We live up to the expectations of the central government and our country,” Lee said in Cantonese.
The law will come into force on March 23, Lee added.
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Hong Kong passes new security law, raising max. penalty for treason, insurrection to life in prison
