Hong Kong police make 1st arrests under domestic security law

By Serdar Dincel

ISTANBUL (AA) - The Hong Kong police have made the first arrests under the domestic security law, as five women and one man have been detained on suspicion of seditious intention, an official statement said.

One of them is already in custody, who allegedly posted anonymous “seditious” content on social media with the help of the other five suspects.

Under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, also commonly known as Article 23 legislation, crimes involving seditious intent can result in up to seven years in prison.

Hong Kong lawmakers enacted in March a domestic national security law, the first since the semi-autonomous region was returned to Chinese rule in 1997.

Under the new law, people convicted of treason, insurrection, sabotage by “colluding with external forces,” or inciting members of the Chinese armed forces to mutiny can be sentenced to life, while those found guilty of illegally disclosing state secrets can get 10 years behind bars.