Transcript of remarks by CE at media session (with video)
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Reporter: Mr Lee, what will the Government do to allay concerns of UN human right experts about the National Security Law? Will the authorities review the way it's enforced?
Chief Executive: Well, we have already made a very clear statement to object to the misguided conclusion by the committee. We have already explained in detail what the Hong Kong National Security Law tries to do, and we have all witnessed that the stability and peace of Hong Kong have returned as a result of the implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law. The Law aims to deal with threats and action that will cause threats to national security, and we have all experienced the 2019 violence and destruction. Stability and peace are so important to Hong Kong. Destructive forces exploited the loophole at that time, when Hong Kong had no comprehensive law to deal with such threats. The Hong Kong National Security Law aims to do that in the same way that all countries in the world try to do to protect national security and also the security of the place.
The rights and freedoms of Hong Kong (people) are all protected under the Basic Law. The 160 articles in the Basic Law remained intact and in effect since the first day of Hong Kong's return to our motherland. It will continue to be effective, and these are the guiding principles that will be taken into consideration by the presiding judge of all cases that go to the court, and our legal system operates with strong emphasis on judicial independence and we have a respectable legal system in which we actually have very reputable and famous judges who sit on the Court of Final Appeal. So these indicate the strong elements of our safeguard for human rights and freedom and at the same time ensuring our national security is well protected.
(Please also refer to the Chinese portion of the transcript.)
Ends/Friday, July 29, 2022
Issued at HKT 17:41
Issued at HKT 17:41
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Audio / Video
CE meets the media