Hong Kong has upgraded its national security law, granting police the authority to demand passwords for suspects' mobile phones and computers. Those who resist face up to one year in prison and fines of approximately 400,000 baht.
The Hong Kong government announced new regulations under the National Security Law (NSL), empowering police to compel suspects accused of violating national security laws to "disclose passwords" for their mobile phones or computers for immediate inspection by authorities.
Those who refuse to cooperate or disclose passwords may face up to one year in prison and fines up to 100,000 Hong Kong dollars, roughly 421,000 baht. Additionally, individuals who intentionally provide false or misleading information to authorities may be punished with imprisonment for up to three years.
The new regulations were published in the official government gazette today (23 Mar) as amendments under the National Security Law. Besides granting police the power to request passwords, customs officers are also empowered to seize any property or objects considered to have a "seditious intention."
John Lee, the Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, announced these changes using executive powers to bypass the usual legislative procedures, asserting that the amendments aim to ensure "harmful activities against national security are promptly prevented and suppressed." He also assured that citizens' legal rights and interests will continue to be properly protected.
However, the National Security Law, enforced since 2020 following the large-scale pro-democracy protests in 2019, remains heavily criticized. Detractors argue it is used as a tool to eliminate political dissent due to its broadly defined offenses, including secession, subversion, and collusion with foreign forces. Some cases have even been tried in secret.
Since the law's enactment, hundreds of activists and former opposition legislators have been arrested. Most recently, in February, media tycoon Jimmy Lai was sentenced to 20 years in prison on charges of colluding with foreign forces and disseminating seditious content.
In the same month, another person affected by the law was the father of a pro-democracy activist currently in exile abroad. He was sentenced simply for attempting to claim insurance benefits for his daughter, as Hong Kong authorities viewed the transaction as financial support for a national security suspect on the run.
,BBC