On Friday, the US Department of State imposed new visa restrictions on Chinese and Hong Kong officials following the conviction of 14 activists by a Hong Kong court for conspiring to commit subversion under the China-imposed National Security Law. The court found that the activists had organized a democracy camp primary election with the intent to gain a majority in the Legislative Council, aiming to veto budgets indiscriminately, which would allegedly paralyze government functions.
The visa restrictions target individuals who the US believes have engaged in actions undermining democratic processes or human rights. The State Department utilized section 212(a)(3)(C) of the Immigration and Nationality Act to justify the restrictions, a provision that declares any alien inadmissible if their intent is against US security interests.
These measures come amidst ongoing international condemnation of the convictions, with the UK, the EU, and Australia also criticizing the prosecutions as politically motivated and harmful to democratic freedoms. The UK’s Minister for the Indo-Pacific Anne Marie Trevelyan remarked that the activists were merely exercising their rights guaranteed under international covenants and treaties like the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the Sino-British Joint Declaration.
In response, both China’s Foreign Ministry in the Hong Kong SAR and the Hong Kong government refuted the allegations, asserting that the primary election was a direct challenge to Hong Kong’s constitutional order and that law enforcement actions were taken based on clear evidence and established legal frameworks. Hong Kong Secretary for Security Tang Ping-keung commended the court and the Department of Justice for upholding national security amid these criticisms.
Full details of the US Department of State’s announcement and reactions can be found on JURIST.