Whether a public speaker’s remarks constitute a criminal offence depends on their overall meaning and the context they are made.
Secretary for Justice Rimsky Yuen made the statement to the media today in response to legislator Junius Ho's recent call to kill anyone who advocates "Hong Kong independence".
Mr Yuen declined to comment on individual cases but added people cannot focus on one or two words when judging the legality of any remarks.
On the joint statement issued by 12 tertiary institutions saying discussion on "Hong Kong independence" does not violate the Basic Law, he said calls for "Hong Kong independence" do not serve the city's interests.