• By Chen Yu-fu and Jake Chung / Staff reporter, with staff writer

A group of Hong Kongers living in Taiwan, known as the Hong Kong Outlanders, yesterday marked the first anniversary of the passage of Article 23 of the Hong Kong Basic Law by holding a news conference at the Legislative Yuan in Taipei in support of Hong Kongers arrested under the article.

Article 23 forbids any action undermining the sovereignty, the unity of territory, the safety and the solidarity of the People’s Republic of China, the group said.

It also forbids foreign political groups from conducting political activities within Hong Kong and banned Hong Kong-based political groups from establishing contact with foreign political groups, it said.

Photo CNA

Lam Wing-kee (林榮基), former owner of Causeway Bay Books, said the people of Hong Kong are beginning to understand that since Chinese President Xi Jinping (習近平) took office in 2012, “one country, two systems” existed only in name.

Hong Kong used to be prosperous and stable, but since Article 23 was implemented, the freedoms of Hong Kongers have become restricted, he said.

In essence, Article 23 overlaps with China’s National Security Law, allowing the Chinese government, and by extension, the Hong Kong government to accuse anyone of sedition, Lam said.

The passage of Article 23 meant that despite Hong Kong protesters leaving the territory, family members residing in Hong Kong are still prone to harassment from the local government, he said.

Fu Tong (赴湯) said that Hong Kongers have been warned that any misconduct would result in them being imprisoned once more, and they are monitored and warned not to attend gatherings and to go straight home after they leave work.

Other acquaintances posting on Facebook have also been warned not to contact Hong Kongers overseas, Fu said.

Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Huang Chieh (黃捷), who chairs the Taiwan Parliamentary Group for Hong Kong, criticized Article 23 for its restrictions, and for granting the Hong Kong government the power to detain and arrest others on baseless charges.

Amnesty International Taiwan secretary-general Chiu E-ling (邱伊翎) said Article 23 has granted the Chinese Communist Party the legal basis to suppress freedom of speech, citing how 13 Hong Kongers abroad have already had their passports revoked, been disbarred and prohibited from financial trading.

She urged the Chinese government to abolish the article and urged Taiwan to enact measures preventing Hong Kongers in Taiwan from being arrested.

Judicial Reform Foundation deputy chief executive officer Lee Ming-ju (李明洳) cited as an example the unreasonable detention of family members of Chow Hang-tung (鄒幸彤), a core member of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China before its disbanding in 2021.

Lee said the family members were detained and are facing seven years in jail years for forwarding Facebook posts, or 10 years if the posts are deemed to be colluding with foreign forces.