Hong Kong police have made headlines by arresting six individuals, including a former organizer of the city's annual Tiananmen Square vigil, for allegedly posting seditious content on social media. This marks the first publicly known arrests under the city's new national security law.
The arrests were made in connection with posts published on a Facebook page, with authorities claiming that the suspects began their activities in April, targeting a 'sensitive date.' While the specific content of the posts has not been disclosed, they were related to the upcoming 35th anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.
Secretary for Security Chris Tang accused the group of attempting to incite dissatisfaction and hatred towards the Chinese central government, the Hong Kong government, and the judiciary. The posts were also said to encourage activities that could endanger national security.
The introduction of the new security law, known as 'Article 23,' has raised concerns about the erosion of freedoms in Hong Kong. The law, which came into effect in March, grants authorities expanded powers to address challenges to their rule, with harsher penalties for sedition offenses.
While it is not illegal to mention sensitive dates, Tang emphasized that the issue lies in how these dates are used to incite hatred. The six suspects, aged between 37 and 65, had their homes raided by authorities, who seized electronic devices believed to have been used to publish the seditious messages.
Since the implementation of the national security law, Hong Kong has witnessed a crackdown on free speech and assembly, leading to the arrest, silencing, or exile of many activists. Civil society organizations, including the group behind the annual vigil, have been disbanded under the law's shadow.
The Beijing and Hong Kong governments defend the law as a means to restore stability following the 2019 anti-government protests. However, critics argue that it has severely curtailed the city's Western-style liberties promised during the handover from Britain to China in 1997.
The former leaders of the vigil group, including Chow Hang-tung, are also facing subversion charges under the Beijing-imposed law and are currently in custody. The annual vigil at Hong Kong's Victoria Park, which used to draw thousands to commemorate the victims of the 1989 crackdown, has been significantly impacted by these developments.
