Hong Kong has announced its first arrests under the controversial new security law, detaining six people for publishing social media posts that allegedly “incited hatred” against Beijing. Among those arrested was pro-democracy activist Chow Hang Tung, who has long been involved in organizing events commemorating the Tiananmen Square massacre.
On Tuesday, five women and one man were arrested, all accused of posting messages related to a “sensitive date”—widely believed to be the anniversary of the 1989 Tiananmen Square protests, on June 4. Under the new law, known as Article 23, those found guilty of such offenses could face up to seven years in prison. This law, passed in March by Hong Kong’s pro-Beijing parliament, expands the scope of the national security law that was implemented by Beijing in 2020. It covers treason, sedition, and state secrets, allowing for secret trials and harsher penalties.
Hong Kong’s government justifies the law by claiming it is necessary for stability, but it has raised significant concerns about the erosion of civil liberties. Amnesty International condemned the arrests, calling them a “shameful attempt at suppressing peaceful commemoration of the Tiananmen crackdown.”
Chow Hang Tung, a barrister who is known for organizing Tiananmen Square memorials in Hong Kong, was already in detention under charges related to the national security law. For decades, Hong Kong was the only city in China where these commemorations were allowed. However, in 2020, authorities banned events remembering the Tiananmen incident, where the Chinese government used tanks and troops to crush peaceful pro-democracy protests in Beijing.
Amnesty’s China director, Sarah Brooks, highlighted that Chow Hang Tung’s 1,000th day in detention will fall on June 4, and expressed concern that authorities are adding new charges to prolong her imprisonment. The arrests on Tuesday were related to posts in a Facebook group where the Tiananmen events had been remembered.
Hong Kong’s Secretary for Security, Chris Tang, clarified that the issue was not the content of the posts but rather the alleged incitement of hatred against the central government, the Hong Kong government, and the judiciary. Tang emphasized that this “incitement of hatred” was the basis for the charges.
As the legal and political situation in Hong Kong continues to tighten, these arrests signal further restrictions on free expression and peaceful dissent in the region.