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RTHK
3 days ago
- Climate
- RTHK
Govt holds meeting to prepare for incoming storm
Govt holds meeting to prepare for incoming storm Chief Secretary Eric Chan chairs a meeting of the steering committee on inter-departmental handling of typhoons. Photo courtesy of Information Services Department Authorities on Friday said preparations across government departments are underway as Tropical Storm Wipha edges closer to Hong Kong. Chief Secretary Eric Chan chaired a meeting of the steering committee on inter-departmental handling of typhoons, during which he coordinated preparatory works. One of the measures would see the Security Bureau set up an emergency monitoring and support centre if the Signal No 8 is issued. Emergency teams like the Fire Services Department, Police, Civil Aid Service, and Auxiliary Medical Service are also fully prepared and on standby in case of emergencies. The Transport Department will continue to operate a round-the-clock emergency transport coordination centre to monitor traffic and update the public on any disruptions. Meanwhile, the Drainage Services Department has surveyed and cleared about 240 flood-prone spots and deployed up to 180 emergency personnel city-wide.
HKFP
5 days ago
- Politics
- HKFP
Tightened prison rules restricting visits on nat. security grounds to take effect on Friday
Tightened prison rules restricting lawyers and religious leaders from visiting inmates will take effect on Friday, just two weeks after the authorities proposed the amendments. The fast-tracked legislative amendments will allow the Correctional Services Department (CSD) to restrict or even ban a person from visiting an inmate on certain grounds, including safeguarding national security. The proposal will be gazetted and passed directly into law on Friday under 'negative vetting' procedures, allowing it to come into effect before being scrutinised by lawmakers on Wednesday next week. The government proposes the amendments 'to ensure that we can effectively prevent, suppress and impose punishment for acts and activities endangering national security,' said the Security Bureau in a statement on Wednesday. 'Amidst the present complicated geopolitical situation, national security risks still exist. It is necessary to amend the [Prison Rules] as soon as possible to prevent and resolve relevant risks in a timely manner, the earlier the better, for safeguarding national security effectively.' New rules The new rules would grant the CSD the power to refuse any visits that do not comply with statutory purposes, such as facilitating the rehabilitation of inmates and their reintegration into society. The government also proposes restricting the visitation rights of religious leaders and lawyers if authorities see a need to protect national security. Existing rules allow a chaplain to visit a prisoner 'at all reasonable times.' The government also suggests that the CSD can apply for a warrant from a magistrate to bar an inmate from communicating with a legal representative, in person or in writing, as well as with anyone associated with the law firm concerned. The proposal to restrict communications between inmates and lawyers appears to be a response to the convictions of pro-democracy activist Owen Chow and his lawyer, Phyllis Woo, who were found guilty last year of removing a complaint letter from prison without the CSD's approval. Woo is seeking to take her case to the city's top appeals court, with a hearing still pending. The amendments are also set to abolish existing provisions allowing people in detention awaiting trial to wear their own clothes and order meals from outside prison. Other proposals include expanding prison officers' powers to safeguard national security in areas such as regulating and screening letters coming in and out of prisons, handling books from outside, and imposing solitary confinement.
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
HKFP
07-07-2025
- Health
- HKFP
Hong Kong to change name of drug ‘space oil' to reduce its appeal, security chief says
Hong Kong plans to rename the drug 'space oil' in a bid to reduce its appeal, security chief Chris Tang has said. Speaking at an anti-drug event on Sunday, Tang said that the authorities would soon give the illegal narcotic a new name because 'space oil' glamorises the drug. Space oil is the street name for a substance containing the short-acting anaesthetic etomidate, which was included under Hong Kong's dangerous drugs law in February, placing it in the same category as drugs like ketamine and cocaine. At the Sunday event, the security chief likened the appearance of space oil users to 'zombies' and said the government would make an official announcement on the new name soon. During a meeting with lawmakers last month, Tang suggested calling the substance 'zombie oil' to better reflect its effects on users. Space oil, which is usually inhaled through vaping, has gained popularity among Hong Kong youth as it is cheap, convenient, and delivers an instant high. It has become the third most commonly abused drug by the city's youth under 21, behind cannabis and cocaine, according to the authorities. 'Space oil drug' In February, the government renamed 'space oil' as 'space oil drug' to clarify 'its nature as a dangerous drug and its harmful effects.' Lawmaker and ophthalmologist Dennis Lam said at a Legislative Council meeting last month that the name 'space oil' had 'unnecessarily romanticised' the drug, adding that the authorities referred to cocaine, for instance, by its scientific name instead of the street name 'coke.' The drug began gaining popularity in 2023. Until the end of May this year, the police force and customs authorities have arrested a total of 566 people for unlawful possession of etomidate, of whom 134 were young people under the age of 21, according to the Security Bureau. The city's drug abuse registry also recorded 493 instances of space oil abuse, involving 356 people under 21. With etomidate currently under the Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, offenders face up to a fine of HK$1 million and seven years' imprisonment for possessing space oil, or a fine of HK$5 million and life imprisonment for trafficking. The anaesthetic was previously regulated by the Pharmacy and Poisons Regulations, under which offenders may face a maximum fine of HK$100,000 and a two-year jail sentence. In March, lawmakers proposed setting up a reporting mechanism to flag space oil sellers, but Commissioner for Narcotics Kesson Lee said the authorities had no plans for a hotline, as young people were too 'rebellious' for such a system to function well.
South China Morning Post
03-07-2025
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong plans to update prison rules to better guard national security
Hong Kong's security and prison agencies plan to update the current prison rules to tighten visiting criteria for specific lawyers, doctors and chaplains to ensure they safeguard national security, prevent crime and maintain order and discipline of those behind bars. In a paper submitted to the Legislative Council on Thursday, the Security Bureau and the Correctional Services Department laid out five 'key purposes' that would form the grounds for prison staff to impose additional restrictions, conditions or prohibitions on inmates. The proposed rules would also require correctional officers to apply for court warrants to be able to restrict visits to inmates from designated lawyers and doctors on the grounds of safeguarding national security. 'There were cases in the past where the visiting mechanism was abused by some people using 'humanitarian relief' as a pretext to visit for [the purpose of] influencing persons-in-custody with soft tactics,' authorities said in the paper. However, authorities said that inmates would still be able to have access to confidential legal advice and consult other lawyers of their own choice under the new changes. Inmates could also lodge an appeal over the warrant. Government sources said that the aim of amending the prison rules through subsidiary laws would be to update 'outdated' rules and plug national security loopholes in legal and medical visit arrangements, adding that officials were keenly aware of the need to balance inmates' rights with the new restrictions.
