'"Serious reservations remain about provisions for the proscription of organizations endangering national security. As currently drafted, the law stands to blur the dividing lines between the Chinese and Hong Kong legal systems," Reeker said in a statement. Human rights and pro-democracy groups fear China could use the new law to suppress freedoms including those of media, speech and religion.'

AFP writes that the recently released 2002 US report on human rights in China stated that China’s "human rights record throughout the year remained poor, and the government continued to commit numerous and serious abuses". These abuses are most tellingly portrayed in the persecution against Falun Gong practitioners who have been suffering vicious and brutal suppression for almost four years.

'The E.U. assembly said it had "serious concern with regard to several aspects of the proposed...legislation," particularly the banning of organizations like the Falun Gong spiritual movement which is already outlawed in mainland China. It added that the bill "must not undermine existing human rights and civil and religious liberties."'

"Police often used excessive force when detaining peaceful (Falun Gong) protesters, including some who were elderly or who were accompanied by small children," the report said. "During the year, there were numerous credible reports of abuse and even killings of ... practitioners by the police and other security personnel."

'The United States accused China of a broad array of human rights violations on Monday including summary executions, torture, forced confessions, suppressing political dissent and denying religious freedom..."Abuses included instances of extrajudicial killings, torture and mistreatment of prisoners, forced confessions, arbitrary arrest and detention, lengthy incommunicado detention and denial of due process," the report said.'