Monitor News Desk
HONG KONG:Disregarding free speech concerns, Hong Kong’s legislature has passed a strict film censorship law to “safeguard national security”.
Critics said the new law would further reduce freedom in the former British colony.
China imposed a sweeping national security law over its most restive city last year. Hong Kong’s legislature has no opposition lawmakers left after mass resignations from the pro-democracy camp in protest against the ousting of some colleagues.Hong Kong government said the film censorship law was aimed at content deemed to “endorse, support, glorify, encourage and incite activities that might endanger national security.
”The law empowers Hong Kong’s chief secretary, the second-most powerful figure in the city’s administration, to revoke a firm’s licence if it is “found to be contrary to national security interests.”Punishment for violating the law included up to three years imprisonment and fines of up to $ 128,400.“The goal is very clear: it’s to improve the film censorship system, to prevent any act endangering the national security,” Commerce Secretary Edward Yau told the Legislative Council.
Critics, however, voiced fears that the new law would harm Hong Kong’s vibrant cinema industry, whose output ranges from Bruce Lee’s innovative martial arts films to acclaimed director Wong Kar-wai’s arthouse films.
“Adding national security clauses to the bill is clear political censorship,” said Kenny Ng, associate professor at the Academy of Film at Hong Kong Baptist University.Since the national security law was introduced in response to mass 2019 pro-democracy protests, most opposition politicians and activists have been jailed, either under the new law or for other alleged crimes or have fled into exile.
Scrutiny over education, arts, media, and culture has intensified. Book publishers have admitted to self-censoring, cinemas have pulled a protest documentary and a university canceled a press photography exhibition. A contemporary art museum said national security police could vet its collections. Pro-democracy tabloid Apple Daily closed in June amid a national security probe.This year, for the first time since 1969, the Oscars were not broadcasted in Hong Kong, matching decisions in mainland China, despite an unprecedented nomination for a Hong Kong-born director.
Filmmaker Kiwi Chow, whose documentary Revolution of Our Times chronicles the 2019 protests and was featured at this year’s Cannes Film Festival, says the bill hurts the local film industry by reducing “the freedom to create.”
