Jojje OlssonJust efter klockan 23 lokal tid presenterades innehållet i Hongkongs nya nationella säkerhetslag. Lagen började samtidigt gälla med omedelbar verkan, en timme innan årsdagen av stadens överlämning från Storbritannien till Kina.
Som jag skrev tidigare i dag, så har självcensuren redan börjat breda ut sig över Hongkong på grund av rädslan för konsekvenser efter att lagen med dess förmodade gummiparagrafer väl träder i kraft.
Självcensuren lär nu fortsätta när lagens innehåll har blivit känt. Den är nämligen precis så allomfattande som många hade fruktat. För att ge ett exempel, så kommer vandalisering av kollektivtrafik klassas som terrorism. Och terrorism ger enligt den nya lagen mellan tio år och livstids fängelse.
Detta är Hongkong från och med i dag – slå sönder en biljettautomat på stadens tunnelbana, och spendera resten av ditt liv i fängelse.
Men lagen innehåller givetvis ännu mer oklara och odefinierbara paragrafer, som till exempel ”samröre med utländska makter”. Ett begrepp som riskeras kunna användas godtyckligt för att mäta ut lika långa fängelsestraff för individer som myndigheterna uppfattar som besvärliga.
Jag ska nu inte uppehålla mig vid vidare detaljer, då jag själv ska dyka ner i lagtexten och analyser av densamma, för att skriva en längre artikel för publicering i en större svensk tidning under morgondagen.
Tänkte här istället återge de viktigaste punkterna som lagen innehåller, sammanfattade på engelska via Twitter av William Yang, en av de skarpaste journalisterna på Taiwan där han arbetar för Deutsche Welle.
Se hela Yangs Twitter-tråd via Threadapp, eller läs direkt de punkter som han sammanfattat här nedan (min fetstil):
1. Decision made by the National Security Committee headed by the Chief Executive won’t be reviewed by judicial institutions.
2. Beijing will appoint an advisor to fill the role of the national security committee’s advisor and this advisor will also be present at all meetings.
3. The special police unit can hire qualified personnel to help with executing missions related to national security.
4. Both the special police unit and the special unit handling national security cases at the department of justice will need to adhere to the rule of ”keeping the secrets.”
5. Sedition includes any act of separating Hong Kong or any part of the ”PRC” from #China. (Under #PRC’s definition, this includes attending events advocating for #Taiwan independence.)
6. Individuals can be given prison sentences ranging from 3 to 10 years for participating in seditious activities. Anyone planning seditious activities could be given life imprisonment.
7. Anyone participating in activities deemed as subversion of state power could be given a prison sentence between 3 to 10 years, while anyone planning these activities will be given life imprisonment.
8. Participating in terrorist activities could be given life imprisonment or a sentence of more than 10 years. Anyone planning or leading terrorist organizations or activities will be given life imprisonment.
9. Attacking or breaking Hong Kong government institutions or facilities belonging to HKSAR government could be deemed as subversion of state power.
10. Anyone destroying public transport facilities, public transportations, electric facilities, and any facilities that could easily explode will be deemed as carrying out terrorist activities.
11. Anyone seriously disrupt or destroy water, electric, public transportation, telecommunication or internet systems will be deemed as conducting terrorist activities too.
12. Organizing or leading terrorist activities will be deemed as illegal, and anyone or any organization that is somewhat involved in the process viewed as ”aiding” the terrorist organizations will also be penalized with penalties or prison sentences between 5 to 10 years.
13. Collusion with foreign power include those who carry out certain activities for foreign institutions or organizations, those who plead foreign institutions or organizations to carry out certain acts against Hong Kong or those who deemed as ”planning” certain activities …
… against Hong Kong with foreign organizations or institutions.
14. Activities that seriously hinder HKSAR government or central government’s implementation and execution of legislations or policies will be deemed as collusion with foreign power.
15. Any activities or interaction with foreign institutions that are viewed as controlling Hong Kong’s elections or damaging election results will be deemed as colluding with foreign power too.
16. Anyone who use ”illegal ways” (with connection with foreign orgs) to trigger Hong Kong residents’ hatred towards the HKSAR government or the central government and if the hatred has created serious consequences, they will also be deemed as colluding with foreign power.
17. Anyone who ”voluntarily” give up their criminal acts in the middle of their actions or who ”voluntarily” prevent criminal results from happening could have their sentences being reduced or be exempted from their punishment.
18. Anyone who turn themselves in and honestly share their criminal activities could also have their sentences being reduced.
19. Anyone who ”disclose other people’s criminal activities” to law enforcement or anyone offering important clues to the police will also have their sentences reduced. This is basically encouraging anyone to reveal other ”accomplices” to the authorities.
20. Any individual who is not a permanent resident of #HongKong but have committed criminal activities could still be tried under the law independently or they could be deported in certain cases. (The language in this one is a bit murky in Mandarin.)
21. Anyone deemed to have committed ”criminal activities under NSL” will be disqualified to participate in the Legco election, DC election, or taking any civil servant positions or losing the chance to be commissioners for the electoral commission. — this one is designed for Sep
22. Anyone who committed criminal activities under NSL in #HongKong will be tried by the law.
23. Anyone who is not a PR of #HK but committed criminal activities defined by the NSL outside of #HK and if the activities are aimed at HKSAR, they could still be tried by the law. (Clause 38). @daphnekylee
24. While the trials are ought to be public, but if the cases involve national secret or public order then the proceedings won’t be public, journalists and members of the public will be banned from attending these trials.
25. When the special police unit is investigating NS cases, they could demand the suspect to hand in their travel documents and ban the suspects from leaving #HK.
26. The special police unit could also demand foreign or external political organizations as well as foreign governments to provide certain information while they are investigating certain cases.
27. Any judges or justices being appointed by the Chief Executive, once they are approved by the committees, their tenure will be one year.
28. Any judges who have made expressions or behaviors that are deemed as threatening NS, they will not be appointed to handle NS cases.
29. If the Secretary of Justice thinks that certain NS cases at the High Court involve national security or some personal safety issues, then the Secretary could demand to let the case proceed without juries. The decision will be made by three judges who handle the case.
30. The national security agency set up by the Central government in #HongKong can supervise and instruct the national security commission about how to execute NS related tasks.
31. The national security agency (controlled by Beijing) will work with Chinese FM representative in #HK as well as HKSAR government to increase their management and services for international organizations, NGOs and media organizations in #HK. @fcchk
32. When a case involves foreign interference and is too complicated for HKSAR gov to handle, the national security commission can request support for the national security agency to intervene and take over.
33. Suspects have the right to hire lawyers after they are questioned by the national security agency for the first time. The lawyer can offer legal assistance.
34. The behaviors of the national security agency (controlled by Beijing) and its personnel are not subjected to the supervision of the HKSAR legal system.
35. Personnel from the national security agency have immunity from the Basic Law but they also enjoys all the benefits mandated by the Basic Law.
36. When personnel from the national security agency are carrying out duties ”according to law,” HKSAR government departments need to cooperate with them. Anyone who interfere with the execution of missions could face punishment according to law.
37. When the rules under the Basic Law interferes with regulations under NSL, the NSL will take effect. (Bear with my English. My brain is shutting down after midnight here.)
38. No mention of the retroactive period.
That’s it from me, people. I was filled with grief, anger, and frustration when we realized there was no English translation after waiting for WEEKS, so I took the liberty to do some very rough translation. Hope it helps and I apologize if my language is not sophisticated enough.
Hela lagen finna att läsa på kinesiska här via PDF. Jag har ännu inte hittat någon fullständig version på engelska, men en sådan kommer säkert offentliggöras under morgondagen.
