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Straits Times
14-07-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Hong Kong seeks to tighten prison visit rules on national security grounds
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Hong Kong authorities say there have been instances of prison visits being abused under the pretext of "humanitarian relief". HONG KONG - The Hong Kong authorities on July 7 presented a proposal to lawmakers to tighten prison rules to restrict visits by lawyers, religious personnel and doctors on national security grounds, a move critics said would further undermine prisoner rights. In a government paper submitted to the legislature, the Security Bureau said there had been instances of prison visits being abused under the pretext of 'humanitarian relief' in an attempt to influence prisoners and to 'arouse their hatred' of the Chinese and Hong Kong governments. Under the proposal, the Correctional Services Department could apply for a magistrate's warrant, giving it the right to block or impose conditions on prisoner contact with specific lawyers and doctors. Hong Kong's mini-Constitution, or Basic Law, enshrines the legal professional privilege to safeguard confidential legal advice between lawyers and their clients, including in court and prison, and the right to choose a lawyer. But Security Secretary Chris Tang told lawmakers that while prisoners do not lose all their rights, 'the rights they enjoy are not the same as those of people not in prison, and the time they can exercise these rights and freedoms must be limited by the need to maintain national security, discipline and order'. China imposed a national security law on the former British colony in 2020, punishing offences like subversion with possible life imprisonment, following mass pro-democracy protests in 2019. The ongoing crackdown on dissent, including the use of powerful new national security laws to arrest pro-democracy campaigners and shutter civil society groups, has drawn criticism from countries including the US and Britain. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Business Singapore's economy continues to expand in Q2 despite US tariff uncertainty: Advance estimate Singapore What's in a name? Local author traces the evolution of Singaporean Chinese names Business From wellness zone to neurodivergent room: How companies are creating inviting, inclusive offices Singapore Govt will continue to support families, including growing group of seniors: PM Wong at PCF Family Day Singapore Swift action needed to stop vaping's slide from health risk to drug epidemic Singapore Art by Pathlight students to be displayed along Singapore River Opinion Hong Kong's past is disappearing, one icon at a time Sport Jannik Sinner dethrones Carlos Alcaraz to capture maiden Wimbledon crown Hong Kong and Chinese authorities say the laws have brought stability and order. Jailed pro-democracy activist Owen Chow and his lawyer were convicted in 2024 for violating prison rules after his lawyer took a complaint form out of the prison without authorisation. A veteran lawyer, who did not wish to reveal his identity due to the sensitivity of the matter, told Reuters that this proposal further 'extends the power' of the authorities over those accused of national security offences. Mr Derek Chu, the founder of prison rights advocacy group Waiting Bird, told Reuters that it would further silence individuals such as barrister and activist Chow Hang Tung, who has remained outspoken, even behind bars. 'It cuts off the support to the political prisoners inside, further isolating them and undermining the will of those who are willing to fight for justice and human rights,' Mr Chu said. Ms Chow and her mother Medina were among eight people arrested for sedition under the Article 23 national security laws enacted in 2024, for allegedly using a Facebook page to 'advocate hatred' against the Chinese and Hong Kong government. Under Article 23, the police chief can apply for a magistrate's warrant to deny suspects arrested for alleged national security crimes access to a lawyer. The current proposal can be gazetted directly into law by the government, and then vetted by the legislature. REUTERS
South China Morning Post
10-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong criticised for prioritising pets over women on public transport
Hong Kong lawmakers have criticised the government's unwillingness to create women-only areas on trains and buses, questioning why these areas are not afforded the same privileges as those granted under a special travel scheme designed for pets. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung dismissed the idea of establishing designated zones for men and women on Hong Kong's public transport system during a Legislative Council meeting on Wednesday, citing potential disruption to operations. In response to a question from lawmaker Ambrose Lam San-keung, who inquired about setting up such zones to prevent sexual harassment, Tang said that designated compartments would present challenges to passenger flow management on train services. He added that implementing such zones on buses was not viable due to the smaller size of the vehicles, which would affect boarding and alighting efficiency. According to Tang, police received 141 reports of sexual assaults or indecent filming on public transport premises, such as compartments and stations, in the first five months of this year. This accounted for 14 per cent of all cases reported in such locations. The number of sex-related cases on public transport premises reached 374 in 2022, an increase of more than 100 from the previous year. The figure rose to 383 in 2023 before decreasing to 360 last year. MTR Hong Kong staff creativity goes viral with catchy announcements But Lam expressed dissatisfaction with Tang's response, questioning why the MTR Corporation could introduce special travel schemes for pets but not women-only compartments. 'It's really better to be a dog or cat than to be a person,' he said. The rail operator commenced a two-month trial in May to allow pet owners to bring their dogs or cats onto Light Rail trains on weekends and public holidays after purchasing a pass. Lam asked whether the MTR Corp would use its experience from the pet scheme to launch a pilot programme for designated compartments for men and women. But Liu Chun-san, undersecretary for transport and logistics, rejected the suggestion. Liu explained that as the intention behind male or female-designated compartments was to prevent physical conflicts or indecent filming during crowded periods, such measures would need to be implemented during rush hours. 'If we run trials on non-peak hours and specific routes, we must carefully evaluate whether such trials could offer a useful reference,' he said. He added that the MTR Corp considered it inappropriate to designate compartments based on sex, noting that it was not a common global practice. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung said that designated compartments would present challenges to passenger flow management on train services. Photo: May Tse But lawmaker Ngan Man-yu, who represents the Kowloon East constituency, said that the MTR Corp possessed the capability to manage passenger flow effectively, even with exclusive compartments, citing the example of first-class carriages on the East Rail Line. 'It gives residents a feeling that if you pay, the MTR could do it. If you don't, the female-designated compartment will never be possible,' he said. Another lawmaker, Elizabeth Quat, said that while not all women would require such compartments, their availability would at least provide a choice. 'But the problem is the government has never tried, despite our long raising of this issue,' she said. In its reply to the South China Morning Post, the MTR Corp said it would not provide further comment and referred the newspaper to Tang's remarks. In a paper to the council's subcommittee on matters relating to railways in 2011, the MTR Corp rejected the concept of women-only compartments, citing large passenger flow and challenges in flow control. Similarly, in 2016, the government dismissed then-lawmaker Chiang Lai-wan's suggestions to establish such areas for comparable reasons. Tokyo is one of the few cities with women-only train compartments for rush hour as part of efforts to prevent sexual harassment. The carriages are exclusively for women, people with disabilities, and children of junior school age or younger during peak traffic hours. The Japanese capital's metro rail system served an average of 6.84 million passengers every day in 2024, compared with the 4.68 million recorded on Hong Kong's own service during weekdays.
South China Morning Post
09-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
‘Better to be a dog': Hong Kong lawmakers call for women-only areas on transport
Lawmakers have criticised the government's reluctance to introduce women-only areas on trains and buses in Hong Kong, questioning why they are not given the same privileges as those within the special travel scheme made for pets. Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung dismissed the idea of establishing designated zones for either sex on Hong Kong's public transport system during a Legislative Council meeting on Wednesday, citing potential disruption to operations. In response to a question from lawmaker Lam San-keung, who enquired about setting up such zones to prevent sexual harassment, Tang said that compartments exclusive to either sex would present challenges to passenger flow management on train services. He added that implementing such zones on buses was not viable due to the small size of bus carriages, which would affect boarding and alighting efficiency. According to Tang, the police received 141 reports of sexual assaults or indecent filming on public transport premises, such as compartments and stations, in the first five months of this year. This accounted for 14 per cent of all cases reported in such locations. The number of sex-related police reports on public transport premises increased by more than 100 cases in 2022 to 374, compared to the previous year. The figure rose to 383 in 2023 before decreasing to 360 last year.
HKFP
09-07-2025
- Business
- HKFP
Quicker immigration clearance system at revamped checkpoint will not send data to China, Hong Kong security chief says
A quicker immigration clearance system that will be deployed at a revamped land crossing between Hong Kong and China will not send residents' data to mainland authorities, the city's security chief has said. Secretary for Security Chris Tang said on Monday that the construction to upgrade the Huanggang border checkpoint is expected to be completed by the end of this year. Following the implementation of a 'joint clearance' with the mainland authorities at the revamped checkpoint, Hong Kong residents can travel to Shenzhen with their mainland travel permits and return using their Hong Kong ID cards, Tang told lawmakers at the legislature's panel on security. Residents will need to register with the mainland authorities to use the service, he added. This arrangement could significantly shorten the time required for immigration clearance at the land crossing, from around half an hour to about five minutes, he said. Most land crossings between Hong Kong and mainland China have separate border controls, with travellers going through two clearance processes handled separately by the two immigration authorities. The Hong Kong government has pushed for a 'co-location' clearance system, which was first employed at Shenzhen Bay Port in 2007 and later at the West Kowloon high-speed rail station in 2018. Under the co-location arrangement, travellers could complete clearance of both sides in one location. 'Consent' Tang said the new system at the Huanggang checkpoint will not require Hong Kong's Immigration Department to share residents' data with its mainland counterpart. 'This system will not transfer the data stored in our Immigration Department's system to the other side,' he said in Cantonese. 'Those who wish to use this service will have to register with the mainland authorities, and the clearance will only require the information they have consented to provide to the mainland,' he added. The joint clearance system could be extended to the Heung Yuen Wai control point, known in Shenzhen as the Liantang port, in the future, Tang said. He also said that construction personnel from Hong Kong will be able to enter Huanggang in the fourth quarter of this year to install immigration facilities. The construction cost is estimated to be HK$1.57 billion, and the government will apply to the legislature for the funding towards the end of this year, he said. The expanded Huanggang checkpoint was designed to handle 200,000 travellers and 15,000 vehicles between Hong Kong and Shenzhen every day. Located on the western side of the Shenzhen-Hong Kong border, the Huanggang checkpoint started redevelopment in 2019. The co-location clearance arrangement was a controversial issue in Hong Kong. The city's now diminished opposition argued that having mainland authorities handle immigration procedures in Hong Kong's territory would infringe upon the city's autonomy.
Time Out
09-07-2025
- Health
- Time Out
Hong Kong government to change the name of ‘space oil' drug to make it less appealing
In an anti-drug event over the weekend just past, Hong Kong's security chief Chris Tang said that the government plans to rename the drug currently known as 'space oil' to reduce its appeal. Space oil is the street term for a narcotic substance containing etomidate, which is a short-term anaesthetic. It is usually inhaled through vaping and has been getting increasingly popular, especially among younger Hongkongers, because it is cheap and convenient to consume, becoming our city's third most commonly used drug by people under 21. The government has been trying to clamp down hard on space oil since it gained popularity in 2023, including it in Hong Kong's Dangerous Drugs Ordinance in February alongside cocaine and ketamine. The issue had previously been brought up at a Legislative Council meeting last month that the name space oil had 'unnecessarily romanticised' the drug, and earlier this February, the government had already started referring to the narcotic as 'space oil drug' officially, instead of just space oil. It now looks like space oil is going through another rebranding, as the security chief confirms that the government will be announcing its new name soon. Nothing has been set in stone yet, but Tang had also compared the appearance of space oil users to 'zombies' before and suggested changing the drug's moniker to 'zombie oil' instead. If the goal is to make drugs sound less fun, perhaps they shouldn't name them after anything you can theme Halloween costumes around. Watch this space for updates on what we should call space oil next.
