HONG KONG (AP)--After a fierce, drawn-out political battle over Hong Kong's plan to outlaw subversion, the government released the fine print Thursday of a bill that critics said would weaken the territory's rule of law.
"This is a giant step backward from the system as we know it in Hong Kong, which is open justice and open trial," said lawmaker Audrey Eu.
Secretary for Security Regina Ip said the bill does not threaten local freedoms of the press, speech and assembly -as rights activists, journalists and pro-democracy figures have been charging for months.
But opposition legislators, who fear the law would give authorities too much power to stifle dissent, said they found a new provision that would make it difficult for any outlawed group to overturn its ban through the courts.
Critics have worried that Hong Kong will use the law to ban Falun Gong […] Falun Gong is legal in Hong Kong and carries out numerous protests against Beijing's efforts to eradicate it in the mainland.
Once Hong Kong has passed its anti-subversion law, a banned group might have to appeal its ban without being informed of the "full particulars" of why it was imposed.
"This is absurd," said Albert Ho, a lawmaker from the opposition Democratic Party.
Ho also attacked a provision that would let Hong Kong's security chief ban any local group if he or she "reasonably believes" that it acts against national security and is "subordinate" to a mainland organization outlawed in China on national security grounds.
The security chief would not have to let a group argue against being banned in cases where it would not be "practicable."
"This is the area where we are most likely to blur the two systems and one country," said lawmaker Eu, referring to Hong Kong's government arrangement, which allows considerable personal freedoms not allowed in mainland China.
The bill seems certain to be passed by the legislature -dominated by pro-business and pro-Beijing parties -within the next few months. Ip insisted that the government has struck "a balance between protecting national security and safeguarding fundamental rights and freedoms."
She also shrugged off criticism from opposition politicians and human rights activists who had demanded to see the wording of the planned law months ago.
An earlier release of the text would have allowed critics to propose changes before the bill goes to the Legislative Council, but the government refused.
The Hong Kong Bar Association issued a statement Thursday night demanding more time for the public to comment now that the text has been released and said it was important that the bill "not be rushed."
The anti-subversion measure has stirred one of the biggest political battles since Hong Kong was returned from British to Chinese sovereignty in 1997.
Since its return, the territory has been constitutionally required to outlaw subversion, sedition, treason and other crimes against the state.
The government began work last year on legislation that would punish many offenses with life in prison, stirring fears that local freedoms could be crushed.
Opponents worry that Hong Kong could be heading toward a Beijing-style crackdown on dissent. […]
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