Key facts
- Hong Kong authorities criticized a Washington Post editorial regarding amendments to the national security law.
- The government called the commentary's allegations "groundless" and "repressive".
- A new regulation allows the chief executive to classify cases as national security offenses.
- Authorities stated the legislation clarifies offenses and upholds the rule of law and fair trial rights.
Hong Kong authorities have strongly criticized The Washington Post for publishing an editorial that they deemed contained "groundless allegations" regarding recent amendments to the city's national security law. The government issued a statement late Saturday night, responding to a commentary titled “Hong Kong’s nightmare gets darker,” which described a new mechanism under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance as "repressive."
The ordinance allows the city leader to classify legal cases as national security ones. Hong Kong's government stated that the subsidiary legislation, gazetted earlier in the week, aims only to clarify "other offenses endangering national security" and provide implementation certainty. The statement emphasized that the Procedural Matters Regulation "will in no way infringe any legitimate right of a defendant" and that Hong Kong is "underpinned by the rule of law."
Authorities further asserted that the guilt or innocence of any defendant will be adjudicated independently by the court in accordance with the law, ensuring the right to a fair trial. The Safeguarding National Security (Procedural Matters) Regulation was gazetted on Tuesday.