July 23, 2002

HONG KONG, July 23 (AFP) - Hong Kong does not need a new subversion law sought by Beijing as existing legislation already covers sedition and treason, the territory's Bar Association said Tuesday.

The association said in a report that existing Hong Kong laws were sufficient to prohibit the acts of "treason, sedition and subversion", as listed in Article 23 of the territory's constitution, the Basic Law.

[...]

"Pure expression of opinion should not be criminalized," it said.

...Some legislators fear the bill could run counter to Hong Kong's policies on freedom of speech and have also argued that prohibition of treason and subversion are covered by existing legislation.