Civil Liberties and National Security in Hong Kong

Civil Liberties and National Security inHong KongThe Continued Role of the International Covenant onCivil and Political RightsThe Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security inHong Kong (NSL) has fundamentally changed the relationship between Beijingand Hong Kong.In addition to creating new criminal offenses, the NSLestablished powerful security institutions that are directly accountable toBeijing and not subject to judicial review in the local courts.Yet the NSL alsoprovides for the continued application of the International Covenant on Civiland Political Rights (ICCPR), a treaty that is incorporated into Hong Kong’s legalsystem.Article 4 of the NSL has thus created limited space for the independentlocal judiciary to interpret vague language in the NSL in a manner thatcomplies with the ICCPR.It is, therefore, too soon to write off Hong Kong as “justanother Chinese city.”Rather, the international community needs to findproductive ways to support efforts to preserve civil liberties in the territory.