China’s National Security Laws (Basic Laws) is designed to restore peace on the streets of Hong Kong emphasising a One Country Two System legislative framework.
The Basic Laws preserve the Rule of Law, the Presumption of Innocence, and the Right to a Fair Trial amongst other legal rights common law countries are accustomed. It sets out who the laws apply to, for example, the principal offenders and accomplices, including those that incite others to carry out grave offences, and people who set up organisations to carry out said grave offences. Basic Laws have harsh penalties.
Under Chapter 7 for Example, Offences and Penalties
Persons can find themselves facing life imprisonment for “grave offences” and between 5 years and 10 years imprisonment depending upon the individual’s role in committing an offence.
For all intents and purposes, Hong Kong’s judicial system remains intact. On the surface, the Basic Laws look okay, or are they? The Basic Laws put in place what Hong Kong has been trying to do without success for years. Without a doubt, the Basic Laws give China a tighter grip on Hong Kong than ever seen before.
It seems the unrelenting rioters have played right into China’s hands. I’ll go into the details of the Basic Laws in forthcoming legal blogs.
