In a move that emphasizes the stringent enforcement of Hong Kong’s new national security law, police officials arrested two individuals on Saturday on charges of sedition. The detainees, a 41-year-old man and a 28-year-old woman, are accused of activities deemed to incite hatred against both the Hong Kong and central Chinese government.
The 28-year-old suspect allegedly published a forged suicide note purportedly written by a deceased professor from the City University of Hong Kong. The fabricated note linked the professor’s death to political discontent following the enactment of Article 23 security law legislation in March 2024. An initial investigation disclosed that the professor had previously sought help for mental health issues related to his physical health and professional challenges, shedding doubt on the fabricated political motivation for his suicide. The City University also released a statement urging the public to be cautious about spreading unverified information online.
In another case, the 41-year-old detainee is accused of placing “memorial light boxes” in public areas to incite hatred against the government. Both suspects were detained under section 24 of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, which does not require the prosecution to establish an intent to incite violence or public disorder, merely the intention to bring hatred, contempt, or disaffection against the government.
This incident comes on the heels of a recent conviction of former journalists from the defunct online news outlet Stand News, marking a significant period of enforcement under the new national security framework in Hong Kong. The implications for freedom of speech and journalistic freedom in the region remain a focal point of international concern.