Hong Kong authorities have made their first arrests under a newly implemented security law, detaining six individuals for posting social media content deemed to “incite hatred” against Beijing.
Among those arrested is pro-democracy activist Chow Hang Tung, announced officials on Tuesday.
The group stands accused of disseminating messages targeting a “sensitive date,” reportedly the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square protests on June 4th.
If convicted, the defendants could face up to seven years in prison under the stringent penalties introduced by the new law, referred to as Article 23. This law, expedited through Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing legislature in March, covers offenses such as treason, sedition, and state secrets, with provisions for closed-door trials.
The legislation builds upon the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020, a move that sparked concerns over further erosion of civil liberties in Hong Kong.
Amnesty International condemned the arrests as a “shameful attempt at suppressing peaceful commemoration of the Tiananmen crackdown” and called for the immediate release of those detained, including Chow Hang Tung, who was already facing charges under the previous national security law.
A prominent barrister, Chow Hang Tung has been instrumental in organizing Tiananmen Square memorial events in Hong Kong, where such commemorations were permitted for decades under the city’s semi-autonomous status, established in 1997 under the “one country, two systems” framework.
However, events marking the 1989 Tiananmen Square incident were banned in 2020 by authorities.
Amnesty’s China director, Sarah Brooks, criticized the authorities’ actions, stating, “Chow Hang Tung’s 1,000th day in detention on national security charges is next week – on 4 June, no less – and the authorities seem intent on ensuring that her fight for freedom is even longer by adding new so-called crimes to her file.”
According to reports, the charges stem from posts in a Facebook group commemorating past events related to Tiananmen Square.
Secretary for Security Chris Tang clarified that the content’s subject was not the issue but rather the alleged incitement of hatred against the central and Hong Kong governments and the judiciary. Tang emphasized that such incitement constituted the offense.