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Amnesty International has reported that over 80% of convictions under Hong Kong’s national security laws since 2020 involve individuals wrongfully criminalized for peaceful expression.
In findings released Monday, the NGO cited official Hong Kong data showing that 332 people have been arrested, with 189 convictions under national security-related laws. Amnesty concluded that 84.6% of these cases involved non-violent conduct and should not have been prosecuted under international human rights standards.
The analysis highlights concerns over Article 20 of the National Security Law, which Amnesty says broadly criminalizes peaceful advocacy—especially regarding politically sensitive regions such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, Tibet, and Xinjiang. The report argues that the law’s vague language grants authorities extensive power to suppress dissent.
Critics—including international NGOs, the United Nations, and the European Union—have accused Beijing of using the law to target pro-democracy activists and erode freedoms guaranteed under Hong Kong’s special administrative status.
Enacted by the Chinese Communist Party in 2020 without input from Hong Kong’s legislature, the law has been widely condemned for undermining the region’s autonomy, civil liberties, and the rule of law.
Excerpts from jurist.com article by Conor Doran | U. College Cork School of Law, IE
