Hong Kong’s Legislative Council unanimously passed a new national security law that expands the government’s power to crush dissent.
The Safeguarding National Security Law passed on Tuesday includes new measures on treason, espionage, external interference, state secrets, and sedition.
“Today is a historic moment for Hong Kong,” said Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, who added that the law punishing five major crimes would go into effect on March 23.
It grants the government more power to quash dissent, widely seen as the latest step in a sweeping political crackdown triggered by pro-democracy protests in 2019. It comes on top of a similar law imposed by Beijing four years ago, which has already largely silenced opposition voices in the financial hub.
Critics say that the major piece of legislation, known as Article 23, further threatens the Chinese-ruled city’s freedoms.
The 90-seat council stacked with pro-China loyalists was first presented with the bill on March 8, following a monthlong public consultation, with Hong Kong’s leader calling for it to be enacted at “full speed”.
Eighty-eight lawmakers and the legislative council president voted unanimously to enact the legislation.
The article originally appeared on Aljazeera.
