DoJ updates contents of bilingual version of "Annotations of the Hong Kong National Security Law and Sedition Offences in the Crimes Ordinance"
The Department of Justice (DoJ) today (July 30) updated the bilingual version of the "Annotations of the Hong Kong National Security Law and Sedition Offences in the Crimes Ordinance", covering judgments of cases relating to national security up to January 31 this year and judgments of the Court of Final Appeal in two important cases in March this year. The relevant provisions of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (6 of 2024), the Safeguarding National Security (Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region) Regulation and the Safeguarding National Security (Declaration of Prohibited Places) Order are also referred to. The updated contents have been uploaded to the dedicated website for public reference.
Since the promulgation and implementation of the Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL) in 2020, all judicial decisions in national security cases are made public in an open and transparent manner. After publishing the English and Chinese versions of the Annotations in December 2023 and June 2024 respectively, the DoJ has been endeavouring to update the Annotations from time to time to keep the public informed of the latest developments of the NSL and the relevant laws, thereby enhancing public confidence in the laws on safeguarding national security, as well as raising public awareness of national security.
The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, said, "The focus of national security education is to cultivate the self-awareness of the general public in safeguarding national security. To this end, we must deepen and strengthen the public's understanding of the laws on safeguarding national security and relevant rule of law principles to enhance confidence in and recognition of the laws on safeguarding national security amongst the public. The DoJ publishes, and from time to time updates, the Annotations to provide a simple and practical tool to assist the public in comprehending the relevant laws and cases". Mr Lam expressed gratitude to Professor Albert Chen for continuing to serve as the Honorary Consultant Editor and offering valuable guidance on the work of the Annotations.
The DoJ will continue to update the Annotations from time to time for the public to understand the latest developments of relevant laws.
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Collecting preferences of Wang Fuk Court flat owners to advance long-term rehousing work
A Government spokesman said today (January 9) that social workers under the "one social worker per household" service of the Social Welfare Department (SWD) are proactively contacting flat owners of Wang Fuk Court, who were affected by the fire. They are comprehensively and systematically gathering each owner's preliminary preferences regarding long-term rehousing to assist in formulating and implementing specific plans.
The Chief Executive previously instructed the Task Force on Emergency Accommodation Arrangements to co-ordinate relevant policy bureaux and departments in studying long-term rehousing solutions. Adhering to the principles of "empathy, reason, and law", with priority given to "empathy", the Task Force aims to address the individual circumstances and preferences of residents while ensuring the efficient use of resources to assist affected households in rebuilding their homes.
The spokesman said, "Social workers from the SWD have been in contact with the residents, listening to their views, understanding their actual situations and needs, and providing necessary assistance. Regarding long-term accommodation, we have noticed differing opinions among flat owners and the community. For example, some hope that the Government will acquire the properties or give priority to Wang Fuk Court flat owners to purchase Home Ownership Scheme flats. Some residents seek local rehousing, while others accept rehousing in different districts. Some propose in-situ redevelopment, but there are also concerns about the lengthy waiting times.
"We hope to systematically and comprehensively collect Wang Fuk Court flat owners' opinions, further listening to and summarising their preferences. This includes identifying key principles that the Government should consider when addressing long-term accommodation arrangements and noting the flat owners’ initial preferences for different long-term rehousing options. This information will serve as a reference for the Government's follow-up actions."
Starting today, social workers under the SWD's "one social worker per household" service will begin contacting flat owners of Wang Fuk Court to gather their initial preferences regarding various long-term rehousing arrangements. The goal is to collect responses from the flat owners by mid-to-late January for analysis.
The spokesman said, "The Task Force will carefully compile and study the different preferences of flat owners and will conduct a comprehensive assessment based on the actual conditions at Wang Fuk Court, including structural safety, technical feasibility, and community planning. We aim to provide affected flat owners with suggestions regarding long-term proposals as soon as possible for their consideration and decision-making."
He said, "The Government and affected flat owners share a same objective: to implement solutions promptly and reassure them as soon as possible."
Following the fire, the Government arranged emergency accommodation for the affected residents of Wang Fuk Court in a short time frame. As of today, more than 4 400 residents are staying in hotels, youth hostels/camps, transitional housing, units from the Hong Kong Housing Society or Po Tin Interim Housing in Tuen Mun. Since December 22 last year, the Support Fund for Wang Fuk Court in Tai Po has provided each flat owner, in tranches, with a two-year rental subsidy up to a maximum of $300,000, giving them more flexibility and options in their accommodation arrangements.
