Primaries may breach security law

July 13, 2020

(To watch the full press conference with sign language interpretation, click here.)

 

Chief Executive Carrie Lam today said the pro-democratic camp’s so-called primaries may have breached the national security law.

 

Mrs Lam made the statement at a press conference held after this evening’s Executive Council meeting.

 

She said: “If this so-called primary election’s purpose is to achieve the ultimate goal of delivering what they call a 35-plus with the objective of objecting to or resisting every policy initiative of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government, then it may fall into the category of subverting the state power, which is now one of the four types of offences under the new national security law.

 

“I’m not saying that it has breached it, but I have to put forward a warning that if that is going to be proven to be the case, then there is certainly a case to answer.”

 

Mrs Lam emphasised that there is no such thing as a primary in Hong Kong’s election system and that the Government has received a large number of complaints relating to the activities over the last two days.

 

“One is, it is causing unfairness to the upcoming election because of the way that it is presented to the people. Second is, it probably would have breached Cap 599G prohibiting group gathering of more than 50 people because in some of the places, we had seen large queues and large crowds. And finally it is breaching privacy protection which I believe the Privacy Commissioner is looking into this area.”

 

She noted that people have to uphold their right to cast a vote in an open, fair and honest election.

 

“We will not tolerate any practices trying to interfere, disrupt, cause confusion to a coming election in September for the Legislative Council.”

 

The Constitutional & Mainland Affairs Bureau said in a statement that the Government is conducting an in-depth investigation into the complaints relating to the primaries and will seek legal advice if necessary.

 

It said if there is any violation of relevant laws and regulations, the Government will refer the case to law enforcement agencies for investigation and apprehension.

 

The bureau added that the ordinance of election in Hong Kong will not recognise nor approve the format, procedure and results of the so-called primaries.

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