At an online forum hosted by the Human Rights Measurement Initiative (HRMI), our Executive Director, Christopher Mung argued that the National Security Law (NSL) is not merely about punishing participants in the 2019 protests. Instead, he said, its real aim is to eradicate dissent, entrench authoritarian control, and silence Hongkongers’ democratic aspirations.
Mung noted that the newly amended Trade Union Ordinance has placed all unions under constant surveillance, stripping them of both autonomy and privacy. He further warned that the authorities are increasingly blending legal measures with administrative harassment — such as denying venues and obstructing funding — to foster a climate of “pervasive national security”. The forced closures of non-political groups, including China Labour Bulletin and the Riders’ Rights Concern Group, highlight how the NSL is increasingly mirroring mainland China’s approach to suppressing collective rights defence action.
Other speakers described political interference extending into education, the arts, and even across borders. Curator Clara Cheung recounted that during a recent exhibition in Thailand, the Thai authorities, under pressure from Beijing, blacked out the names of Hong Kong, Uyghur, and Tibetan artists and removed a large number of a Tibetan artist ‘s works.
Despite such pressures, the panellists stressed that Hongkongers, both at home and abroad, must continue to hold fast to their values and seek out ways to keep their voices alive.