Hong Kong police can now demand phone or computer passwords from those who are suspected of breaching the wide-ranging National Security Law (NSL).
Those who refuse could face up to a year in jail and a fine of up to HK$100,000 ($12,700; £9,600), and individuals who provide false or misleading information could face up to three years in jail.
This development comes as part of new amendments to a bylaw under the NSL that the government gazetted on Monday.
The NSL was introduced in Hong Kong in 2020, following massive pro-democracy protests the year before. Authorities claim that these laws, which target acts such as terrorism and secession, are essential for maintaining stability, while critics assert that they are tools to stifle dissent.
The amendments also empower customs officials to seize items deemed to have seditious intention. Authorities stated that the changes are intended to ensure that activities endangering national security can be effectively prevented, suppressed, and punished, and at the same time, the lawful rights and interests of individuals and organisations are adequately protected.
These changes were announced by the city’s leader, John Lee, bypassing the legislative council. While law enforcement agencies in several countries can also demand access to electronic devices for criminal investigations, the NSL covers a broad range of vaguely defined offences, including secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces.
The NSL also permits certain trials to be conducted behind closed doors. Since its enactment, hundreds of protesters, activists, and former opposition lawmakers have been arrested.
In February, the father of a pro-democracy activist in exile was jailed for attempting to cash out her insurance policy, under a law that expands the NSL. Media tycoon Jimmy Lai was also sentenced to 20 years in prison for foreign collusion and publishing seditious material under the NSL.
