A new Hong Kong ‘click line’ enabling citizens to report violations of controversial national security law has received 1,000 reports within hours, the BBC Friday. Opposition politicians and civil rights organizations fear that the hotline will be misused to silence people with other political views.
Residents can anonymously submit images, audios and videos to the click line if they suspect someone is in violation of national security law.
This law, passed on July 1, prohibits “subversive activities”, terrorism, the pursuit of independence and foreign interference. The law allows China to crack down on opposition politicians and activists and has already resulted in multiple arrests.
“By encouraging people to tell their friends and neighbors, the Chinese government is using one of its most successful tools of social control – an informant culture,” said Maya Wang of Human Rights Watch in a conversation with BBC.
Several countries took action after the National Security Act was passed. For example, Canada suspended the extradition treaty and no longer deals in “sensitive military weapons” with Hong Kong, while the US has repeatedly criticized and threatened to impose fines on US banks if they continue to do business with Hong Kong.
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