Authorities have sentenced three individuals to prison for actions deemed ‘seditious,’ marking the first applications of the Article 23 security law. On September 19, the West Kowloon Magistrate’s Court imposed a 14-month sentence on 27-year-old Chu Kai-pong, who was convicted for wearing a T-shirt and mask featuring banned slogans from the 2019 protest movement, including “Free Hong Kong, Revolution now!” and “Five Demands, Not One Less.”
Another defendant, 29-year-old Chung Man-kit, received a 10-month sentence after pleading guilty to sedition charges for scrawling pro-independence slogans and “Free Hong Kong” on bus seats during March and April. A day later, 31-year-old Au Kin-wai was also sentenced to 14 months for publishing seditious content on social media, calling for the resignation of Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping and Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee.
The Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, enacted on March 23, 2024, fulfills the Hong Kong government’s obligations under Article 23 of the Basic Law. This legislation expands upon the 2020 National Security Law, introducing new crimes such as treason and theft of state secrets, while raising the maximum penalty for sedition from three to seven years, with ten years for collusion with foreign forces. Rights advocates have expressed concerns that this law grants authorities excessive power to define seditious actions.
Despite the intent to pass security legislation decades ago, the Hong Kong government postponed efforts following a mass protest in 2003. The recent unrest, particularly during the 2019 protests, reignited calls for stricter measures, ultimately leading to the imposition of the National Security Law in 2020. Since then, over 10,000 individuals have been arrested, and at least 2,800 have faced prosecution as part of a widespread crackdown on dissent.
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