HKSARgov'tstronglydisapprovesofremarksonSafeguardingNationalSecurityOrdinancebyInternationalBarAssociation_GuangmingOnlineHKSARgov'tstronglydisapprovesofremarksonSafeguardingNationalSecurityOrdinancebyInternationalBarAssociationHONGKONG,March27(Xinhua)--TheHongKongSpecialAdministrativeRegion(HKSAR)governmentonWednesdaystronglydisapprovedofandcondemnedtheslandersandsmears,aswellasunfoundedcriticisms,madebytheInternationalBarAssociation'shumanrightsinstituteagainsttheSafeguardingNationalSecurityOrdinance.Suchremarksweremadewithextremelymaliciousintentionstomisleadtheinternationalcommunityintobelievingthattheordinancerunscontrarytothefundamentalprinciplesofinternationallaw,therebycreatinganegativeimpressionoftheordinance,aspokespersonfortheHKSARgovernmentsaid.Thespokespersonemphasisedtoeffectivelyprevent,suppressandpunishillegalactsendangeringnationalsecurityispreciselytobettersafeguardthefundamentalrightsandfreedomsofindividualsandensurethepropertyandinvestmentsintheHKSARareprotectedbylaw.Protectinghumanrightsandrespectingtheprincipleoftheruleoflawarethelegislativeprinciplesoftheordinanceandhavebeenincludedintheprovisions.Article2oftheordinanceclearlystipulatesthathumanrightsaretoberespectedandprotected.TherightsandfreedomsenjoyedundertheBasicLawandtheprovisionsoftwointernationalcovenantsasappliedtotheHKSARaretobeprotectedinaccordancewiththelaw,i.e.therightsandfreedomsincludingthefreedomsofspeech,ofthepressandofpublication,thefreedomsofassociation,ofassembly,ofprocessionandofdemonstration,areenjoyedandtobeprotectedinaccordancewiththelawunderboththeInternationalCovenantonCivilandPoliticalRightsandtheInternationalCovenantonEconomic,SocialandCulturalRightsasappliedtotheHKSAR.Thecriticsnotonlyneglectedtheprovisionsaswellasthescopeofapplicationoftherelevantinternationalcovenants,butalsolashedoutandsmearedwantonly,fullyexposingtheirmaliciousintentionstoharmHongKong.Thespokespersonaddedthattheoffencesendangeringnationalsecuritystipulatedbytheordinancetargetactsendangeringnationalsecuritywithprecision,anddefinetheelementsandpenaltiesoftheoffenceswithclarity.Theprosecutionhastheburdentoprovebeyondreasonabledoubtthatthedefendanthastheactusreusandmensreaofanoffencebeforethedefendantmaybeconvictedbythecourt.Extraterritorialeffectfortheoffencesendangeringnationalsecurityundertheordinancefullyalignswiththeprinciplesofinternationallaw,internationalpracticeandcommonpracticeadoptedinvariouscountriesandregions.Itisbothnecessaryandlegitimate,andisalsoinlinewiththoseofothercountriesandregionsaroundtheworld.Itcanbeseenthatthenationalsecuritylawsofvariouscountries,includingtheUnitedStates,theUnitedKingdom,Australia,CanadaandthememberstatesoftheEuropeanUnion,alsohaveextraterritorialeffectunderthe"personalityprinciple"andthe"protectiveprinciple".Informulatingtheextraterritorialeffectundertheordinance,theprinciplesofinternationallawandinternationalpracticeofstatejurisdiction,aswellasthenatureoftheoffences,havebeentakenintoaccount.Thecritics'remarkscompletelyshowedtheirhypocrisywithdoublestandards,thespokespersonadded.ThespokespersonreiteratedthatduringthepublicconsultationoftheBasicLawArticle23legislation,98.6percentofthesubmissionsofopinionsshowedsupportandgavepositivecomments.AftertheordinancewaspassedbytheLegislativeCouncilunanimouslyonMarch19,2024,membersofthepublicandvarioussectorsofthecommunityincludingthecommercialsectorandmajorchambersofcommerce,thelegalsector(includingtheHongKongBarAssociationandtheLawSocietyofHongKong),realestateassociation,theyouthsector,otherprofessionalsectorsandpoliticalparties,welcomed,voicedsupportandacknowledgedthatthelegislationistheconstitutionalobligationtheHKSARgovernmentfulfilledtosafeguardnationalsecurity.Theinstitutedisregardedthesupportfortheordinancefrommembersofthepublicandwantonlyattackedit.TheHKSARgovernmentexpressedstrongdisapprovalofsuchunfoundedslandersagain.Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.