Canada Says Hong Kong’s New National Security Law Undermines Human Rights

Canada has joined its allies in criticizing Hong Kong’s new national security law, saying that its broad definition of threats fails to protect human rights and raises concerns of overarching enforcement. “Canada is concerned that the new national security law adopted by Hong Kong could deviate further from internationally accepted standards of proportionality, transparency and accountability,” Global Affairs Canada’s March 20 statement reads. “This new legislation … fails to safeguard the human rights and freedoms enshrined in the Basic Law and in international instruments to which Hong Kong is a party.” On March 19, Hong Kong lawmakers unanimously passed a new bill known as Article 23, under Hong Kong’s constitution-like Basic Law. This legislation establishes offences for five types of activities, including treason, secession, sedition, theft of state secrets, and subversion against Beijing central authorities....