The Secretary for Security today prohibited the operation or continued operation of the “Hong Kong Parliament” and the “Hong Kong Democratic Independence Union” in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region with immediate effect.

Exercising the power conferred by the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO), he published an order in the Government Gazette.

The Secretary for Security recently issued written notices to the two organisations, to allow them to submit representations pursuant to section 60(4) of the SNSO. The Security Bureau said that representations from the “Hong Kong Parliament” were received but no representations from the “Hong Kong Democratic Independence Union” were received before the deadline.

The bureau said the Secretary for Security carefully considered all relevant information, including the representations submitted by the “Hong Kong Parliament” and reasonably believes that the prohibitions are necessary for safeguarding national security.

As the two organisations immediately become “prohibited organisations”, the bureau stated that any person who engages in acts specified in sections 62 to 65 of the SNSO commit an offence.

Acts specified as offences include acting as an officer-bearer or a member of a prohibited organisation, or professing or claiming to be an office-bearer of the prohibited organisation; conducting any activity on behalf of a prohibited organisation; participating in any meeting of a prohibited organisation; inciting any other person to become a member of a prohibited organisation; and giving aid of any kind to, or procuring any subscription or aid for, a prohibited organisation.

Those who commit such offences are liable to a fine of $1 million and imprisonment for 14 years.

The bureau called on members of the public not to defy the law, participate in any activities of prohibited organisations, or have any connection with them.