Awaiting justice: The impact of Hong Kong’s national security laws

Chan Kim Kam told Reuters she lost a part-time job at a teaching institution after her employer was sent a letter that included links to news reports about her arrest. She was also forced to leave an amateur drama group where she acted in her spare time, after authorities told the group to replace her or risk losing access to a venue, she said. In September, she said she had to close a small shop in a mall selling aromatherapy products after the landlord refused to renew her lease.

“Things I wanted to do are no longer possible,” Chan said. “This is a pretty big blow.” 
In response to a request for comment, the drama group corroborated Chan’s account. The mall and the teaching institute did not respond to Reuters questions. 

The Hong Kong government spokesman didn’t respond to questions about Chan.

More recently, Hong Kong police have used the laws against new acts perceived as protest.  In November, police detained Miles Kwan, a university student, for alleged sedition after he started a petition demanding greater accountability for a deadly apartment block fire that killed at least 168 people. He was later released on police bail, according to a Reuters witness. The police said in a reply to Reuters regarding Kwan’s case that they would take actions according to actual circumstances and in accordance with the law. 

In February, Kwan was expelled before his graduation from the Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) after a student disciplinary committee meeting to follow up on the case, he told Reuters. Kwan cited the panel, which said no penalty would be imposed as a direct consequence of his arrest.

However, he said the panel gave him two demerits for breaching the confidentiality of the meeting — conduct they argued could harm the university’s reputation — and for displaying an impolite and disrespectful attitude toward the panel. Combined with his two previous demerits, the panel unanimously decided to terminate his studies.

The university said it would not comment on individual cases, adding that a student given three demerits due to disciplinary actions may be terminated from studies at the University.
“Since my arrest by the national security police, I have known that the road ahead will not be easy, ” Kwan said. “Academic results could be taken away, but dignity cannot.”