HKFP reveals..
Government says the amendment is important because social workers can exert “significant influence” on people over national security matters
Lawmakers in Hong Kong have voiced support for a government plan to bar people convicted under the national security law from acting as social workers.
The legislature’s Panel on Welfare Services on Monday discussed a government proposal to amend the Social Workers Registration Ordinance. It will add national security offences to a list of crimes that would “disentitle” a person from gaining or keeping their professional registration in the social work sector.
The proposed law will cover secession, subversion, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts, criminalised under the Beijing-imposed security legislation, as well as acts of treason and sedition outlawed under the colonial-era Crimes Ordinance. Other crimes containing the elements of endangering national security would also be included, said a paper from the Labour and Welfare Bureau.
The bureau told the legislature the amendment was important, because social workers “stand to exert significant influence” on people in the community over national security matters and other issues. The image of social workers would be “tarnished” if people convicted of national security offences were allowed to remain in the profession, the government said.
“Persons convicted of offences endangering national security, if permitted to discharge the duties of social workers, would put the interest of the service users at stake, cast doubt on the integrity of the social work profession…,” a government document submitted to the panel stated.
Hong Kong lawmakers support plan to bar those convicted under security law from social work
