The United States will suspend the entry visas of Hong Kong officials responsible for suppressing rights and freedoms

United State It announced on Friday that it would withdraw the visas of “several” Hong Kong officials “responsible for… – Intensifying repression of rights and freedoms“.

he County administration This came in a statement signed by the secretary Anthony Blinken Of these sanctions, although it did not detail the number of officials affected by this measure.

Blinken emphasized in the text that the United States is committed to “continuing to work with Congress and the international community” to support the people of Hong Kong and call for “ Restoring the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong citizensas well as “the immediate release of those unjustly detained or imprisoned under the Penal Code.” National Security Law“.

In the United States' view, the Chinese regime “over the past year has continued to take action against the high degree of autonomy, democratic institutions, and rights and freedoms promised to Hong Kong.”

This includes the Hong Kong authorities recently enacting legislation under Art 23 of the Basic Law“contains broad and vaguely defined provisions regarding Sedition, state secrets, and dealing with foreign partiesBlinken said this “could be used to eliminate opposition.”

Last January, the chief executive of Hong Kong said, John LeeHe announced a plan to enact a law based on “Article 23” of the law Basic law of the cityThrough which he plans to expand his legal powers to include Suppression of oppositionThis follows the anti-government movements that took place in 2019.

Since the return of Hong Kong to China by the British government in 1997, the territory has been governed under the principle of “One country, two systems“, ensuring the separation of legal and judicial structures on the Chinese mainland.

Under its “mini-constitution”, known as the Basic Law, the former colony is responsible for enacting its own law to address seven security-related offences, including Treason, rebellion, theft of state secrets, sabotage and espionage.

The new text is independent of the national security law imposed by Beijing, approved in June 2020 after months of pro-democracy protests and riots, which criminalizes secession, subversion, collusion with foreigners and terrorism.

Previously, in 2003, there was an attempt to enact this same system, but it was postponed after mobilizations attended by an estimated hundreds of thousands of residents.

A few days ago, China expressed its “dissatisfaction and strong opposition” to US criticism of Hong Kong's new and controversial national security law that comes into force this year.

In a statement published by the Chinese Foreign Ministry's office in Hong Kong, its spokesman stressed that criticism of the law “only seeks to defame” and “attack China.”

(With information from EFE)