Hong Kong begins work on its own National Security Law, years after a similar law crushed dissent

Contributing sentiments towards policy:

62% : Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee attends a press conference at government headquarters in Hong Kong, Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024.HONG KONG (AP) -- Hong Kong began public consultation on a local National Security Law on Tuesday, more than three years after Beijing imposed a similar law that has all but wiped out dissent in the semi-autonomous city.
56% : The draft text will be written later based on input from public consultation, which will begin Tuesday and will end Feb. 28.
55% : These suggestions have raised concerns for the survival of non-government organizations and civil society groups that focus on Hong Kong affairs.
52% : The government has already muzzled most dissent using existing laws.
48% : Eric Lai, a research fellow at the Georgetown Center for Asian Law, said that the one-month public consultation was shorter than the three months typical for important laws, saying it appeared to be "window dressing.
45% : He said other countries, including the U.S., U.K., and Singapore, have similar laws to safeguard security and Hong Kong would draw from them.
40% : Hong Kong's mini-constitution, the Basic Law, calls for the city to enact a national security law, but it's been delayed for decades because of widespread public opposition based on fears it would erode civil liberties.

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