The  Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Government today said it strongly disapproved of and condemned the baseless allegations by the US Congressional-Executive Commission on China and the European Union (EU) against the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance and National Security Department's law enforcement actions which simply do not stand up to the facts.

​The Hong Kong SAR law enforcement agencies have been taking law enforcement actions based on evidence and strictly in accordance with the law in respect of the acts of the people or entities concerned, and have nothing to do with their political stance, background or occupation.

​For the relevant law enforcement actions taken by Police in accordance with the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, investigations revealed that the arrestees' acts involved repeatedly publishing posts with seditious intention on a social platform with content provoking hatred towards the central government, the Hong Kong SAR Government and the Judiciary, as well as inciting netizens to organise or participate in illegal activities.

Offences in connection with seditious intention are very serious crimes, and no jurisdictions, including the US and those from the EU, will watch with folded arms acts and activities that endanger national security.

The Hong Kong SAR Government emphasised that the ordinance only targets an extremely small minority of people who endanger national security so as to protect the lives, property, freedoms and rights of the Hong Kong people.

The offences under the ordinance, including those in connection with "seditious intention", will not hinder the legitimate expression of opinions such as making reasonable and genuine criticism of government policies based on objective facts.

The ordinance clearly specifies that the rights and freedoms enshrined in the Basic Law, as well as the provisions of the International Covenant on Civil & Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social & Cultural Rights as applied to Hong Kong, are to be protected in accordance with the law.

The Safeguarding National Security Ordinance is a piece of legislation to defend against acts and activities endangering national security, the Hong Kong SAR Government noted, adding that only those who want to intrude into Hong Kong to plunder and loot should be worried by it.