Implementation rules for Article 43 of national security law take effect

• Published date: 07 July 2020
• Publication title: Xinhua Finance Agency

HONG KONG, July 7 (Xinhua) -- The Implementation Rules for Article 43 of the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) take effect on Tuesday, the HKSAR government said when the implementation rules were gazetted on Monday evening.Article 43 of the national security law stipulates various measures that the department for safeguarding national security of the Police Force of the HKSAR may take when handling cases concerning offence endangering national security, and authorizes the HKSAR chief executive, in conjunction with the Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the HKSAR (National Security Committee) to make relevant implementation rules for the purpose of applying the measures stipulated under Article 43.At the first meeting of the National Security Committee on Monday, the chief executive, in conjunction with the National Security Committee, exercised the power under Article 43 of the national security law to make relevant implementation rules for law enforcement agencies such as the department for safeguarding national security of the Hong Kong Police Force to implement the measures stipulated under Article 43, the HKSAR government said in a statement.

The implementation rules provide for rules that relevant officers should observe when carrying out the specific measures concerned to prevent, suppress and impose punishment for offences endangering national security, and relevant offences and penalties for the effective implementation of the measures, so as to improve the enforcement mechanisms for the HKSAR to safeguard national security.An HKSAR government spokesman pointed out that the...