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The
law is widely expected to further stifle democratic opposition
in the global financial hub, extending oath-taking requirements
to community level district councils that are dominated by
pro-democracy politicians following a landslide win in November
2019.
Publicly-funded broadcaster RTHK reported that more than 20
district councillors have resigned in recent months, some
because they were not willing to take the oath and others after
being detained under a sweeping national security law imposed on
the city by China's parliament last June.
The new law allows the city's Secretary for Justice to launch
action against a politician or official who is deemed to have
violated an oath under a "negative list" that proscribes a broad
range of unpatriotic acts, from insulting the flag to
endangering national security.
Those accused would be immediately suspended from office and,
upon a court conviction, ousted and then barred from standing
for an election for five years.
Lawyers, academics and diplomats have told Reuters they fear the
city's independent judges could also find themselves ensnared by
the vague terms of the law.
The Hong Kong government launched the bill in February, a day
after a senior official in China's cabinet said provisions
should be made to ensure only "patriots" ran the city.
Hong Kong's Secretary for Mainland and Constitutional Affairs
Erick Tsang said at the time that officials and politicians
"cannot say that you are patriotic but you do not love the
leadership of the Chinese Communist Party or you do not respect
it - this does not make sense."
"Patriotism is holistic love," he added.
(Reporting By Greg Torode and Clare Jim in Hong Kong; Editing by
Timothy Heritage)
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