A spokesman for China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) government said on Thursday that it is the HKSAR's constitutional responsibilities to safeguard national security.
The spokesman made the remarks in response to sweeping and erroneous remarks by overseas government officials and politicians on the arrest of certain people for allegedly committing an offence relating to subversion under the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR.
Since the implementation of the law, the HKSAR government has been discharging its duty to safeguard national security in Hong Kong lawfully and dutifully, without fear or anxiety.
The spokesman said the national security law in the HKSAR, or any law in the HKSAR, applies equally to every person in Hong Kong and no one is above the law. "We are appalled by remarks made by some overseas government officials that seemed to suggest that people with certain political beliefs should be immune to legal sanctions."
"Law enforcement agencies are duty-bound to take action against unlawful acts, regardless of the political background of the suspects. Arrests made are based on evidence and strictly in accordance with relevant laws and regulations," the spokesman said.
The spokesman said that the national security law in the HKSAR clearly stipulates four types of offences endangering national security and the penalties. At the same time, the law contains specific provisions upholding Hong Kong people's rights and freedoms under the HKSAR Basic Law as well as the relevant provisions of international covenants on human rights as applied to Hong Kong.
The law also provides for the presumption of innocence, the prohibition of double jeopardy, and the right to defend oneself and other rights in judicial proceedings that a criminal suspect, defendant and other parties in judicial proceedings are entitled to under the law, the spokesman added.
These features have put the national security law in the HKSAR on par with, if not superior to, similar national security laws in other jurisdictions. In making slandering remarks about the law, overseas critics are clearly adopting double standards and merely exposing their prejudice, the spokesman said.
Since implementation of the national security law in the HKSAR, Hong Kong society has seen stability restored. The legitimate rights and freedoms of the people of Hong Kong have been upheld and criminals are brought to justice through independent judiciary. A stable environment is vitally important to the prosperity of Hong Kong and the business activities of both local and overseas enterprises here, the spokesman said.
