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China Enacts Security Law, Asserting Control Over Hong Kong
Beijing's top legislative body has unanimously passed a sweeping national security law for Hong Kong, a controversial move that could effectively criminalize most dissent in the city and risks widening the rift between China and western countries who have criticized the law.
The news was first reported by local Hong Kong media: cable televsion station NOWNews; the city's public broadcaster; and a slew of newspapers, including Wei Wen Po and Ta Kung Pao, two pro-Beijing outlets which often signal official Chinese policy.
Hours later, the official Chinese news agency Xinhua reported President Xi Jinping had already signed the measure into law. Xinhua said it will be incorporated into Hong Kong's Basic Law, the city's mini-constitution, and become effective Wednesday, the anniversary of Hong Kong's 1997 handover from British to Chinese Rule.
Hong Kong security law: Anger as China's Xi signs legislation
One key pro-democracy group said it was now ceasing all operations. Demosisto announced the move on Facebook after Joshua Wong, one of Hong Kong's most prominent activists, said he was leaving the group, which he had spearheaded.
[...] Demosisto said several members had asked to be delisted and it had decided to "dissolve and stop all meetings". It said that the fight against "totalitarian oppression" would have to continue in a "more flexible manner". Joshua Wong said the law marked "the end of Hong Kong that the world knew before".
Also at NYT, Reuters, and Hong Kong Free Press.
(Score: 5, Insightful) by Thexalon on Wednesday July 01 2020, @05:13PM (1 child)
Under US law, it isn't illegal to release classified information to the public [wikipedia.org] if you aren't somebody with a US security clearance. The alleged crime of Julian Assange wasn't publishing classified information, but his supposed role in causing the US intel agencies to be hacked.
And it should be pointed out that he's been held under conditions considered torturous by some international observers for over a year and hasn't been tried for anything. This violates the US Bill of Rights, the EU Conventions on Human Rights, and the UK Human Rights Act. So let's just say this really isn't about the law, is it?
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a compiler is a good guy with a compiler.
(Score: 3, Informative) by Freeman on Wednesday July 01 2020, @06:33PM
He hasn't actually been detained by anyone other than the UK police at this point, so everything is of his own making atm. From what I gather, UK prisons are much nicer than the USA prison system. Which itself isn't a very nice system. Better than lots of places, but still not so good.
Personally, I think he's gone through enough. I just don't think the USA will stop trying to get it's hooks into him. I've got conflicting feelings about all the leaks going on, but in some instances it was something that the people needed to know about.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"