The Hong Kong government announced on May 5 the establishment of a reporting hotline to encourage the public to report violations of national security law, which has already received more than 2,500 reports, triggering criticism as if the Cultural Revolution of the Chinese Communist Party was repeated.
The Guardian reports that the Hong Kong police announced yesterday that the Hong Kong “National Security Branch hotline” was officially launched, allowing members of the public to report any suspected violations of Hong Kong’s national security laws to the Hong Kong police via WeChat, SMS and email. Hong Kong police also told the Guardian that, as of Friday morning, the hotline has received more than 2,500 reports.
The Hong Kong police said that the public can provide information to the hotline in the form of audio, video, photos or text, the identity of the informant will not be revealed, while the police will not answer or reply to the informant, “all the information collected, will not be disclosed to third parties.
The move by the Hong Kong police has also drawn criticism for encouraging neighbors to monitor and inform each other, as was the case during the Cultural Revolution in China.
Hong Kong Democratic Party legislator James Tu has previously said that even if a Hong Kong resident had made “Hong Kong independence” or anti-communist remarks in the past, as long as they did not involve incitement or the planning of substantive activities, it was not a crime. But after the police set up a hotline, there is a possibility that people will report each other for criticism.
The spokesman for the Land Commission, Chiu Chui-ching, also said yesterday that the Hong Kong government’s actions will not help stabilize the situation in Hong Kong, which will deepen social suspicion and confrontation, and will also shake Hong Kong’s position as an international financial center.
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