Published 15:56 IST, February 13th 2021
Immigration law proposed in Hong Kong: What is it and why is it worrying?
Hong Kong govt proposed "particularly troubling" immigration law to limit the individuals fleeing the city providing “apparently unfretted power” to director.
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Providing “apparently unfretted power” to the immigration director to stop anyone from leaving the city, Hong Kong government’s latest proposal limiting immigration has been deemed “particularly troubling”. As per The Guardian report, the Hong Kong Bar Association (HKBA) expressed alarm on February 12 in a paper submitted to Hong Kong’s legislative council about the proposed law that could effectively bar any person, whether Hong Kong resident or not, from leaving the financial hub.
Why is the proposed law troubling?
In the submission, HKBA elaborated on is concerning over the proposed bill and wrote, “It is particularly troubling that the grounds on which such an intrusive power may be exercised are not stated in the proposed legislation, and no explanation for why such a power is necessary, or even how it is intended to be used, is set out.”
It even said that a new power to prevent people from fleeing Hong Kong is to be conferred, “it should be for the courts, not the director, to decide when it is necessary and proportionate to impose a travel ban.” The proposed immigration law is the latest clampdown by Chinese-controlled Hong Kong government followed by the controversial national security bill in June 2020.
As the pro-democracy movement in Hong Kong, that has already lasted for over a year, gains momentum, China’s clampdown has also become more stringent. Several democracy activists and politicians have also fled the city into exile. Meanwhile, nations such as the UK, Canada, and Taiwan have even relaxed their immigration laws for Hong Kongers.
HK Pro-democracy Movement Nominated For Nobel Peace
Meanwhile, Hong Kong pro-democracy movement has been nominated for Nobel Peace Prize by US lawmakers who’ve hailed the protesters as campaigners for global inspiration in the face of a crackdown by Beijing. In a bipartisan letter addressed to the Nobel Prize Committee, the nine lawmakers stressed that the Hong Kong protests amount to “one of the largest mass protests” in the history and that it has been “peacefully” advocating for democracy and human rights since 1997. The nomination is led by Republican senator Marco Rubio and Democratic representative Jim McGovern, co-chairs of the congressional-executive commission on China which assesses human rights.
15:59 IST, February 13th 2021