Surviving Article23 & National Security Law: How Can a Democrat Persevere

Group Discussion

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自本港基本法23條立法（2024年3月23日）以來，香港公民社會氣氛低迷，外國企業離港或對香港投資卻步。在國安法及23條的嚴刊峻法下，民主空間銳減。但是，作為聯合國《公民權利和政治權利國際公約》及《經濟、社會與交化權利的國際公約》的締約方(1978），加上一些基本法的保障條文，香港市民的自由空間還是有險可守甚至能適當增加。

我們始終相信一國兩制下香港對中國始終有價值（由其其金融功能）。而在國安法及23條在香港鞏固下，國家對香港安全應已少了考慮，是否時機重提雙普選？畢竟基本法的憲制責任除了23條外還有雙普選。

此論壇致力於討論支持民主、自由的香港公民可如何在國安法及23條下繼續行駛言論自由及思想自由。

Since the enactment of Article 23 of Hong Kong’s Basic Law (March 23, 2024), the atmosphere in Hong Kong’s civil society has been sluggish, and foreign companies have left Hong Kong or have been discouraged from investing in Hong Kong. Under the strict laws of the National Security Law and Article 23, the democratic space has been sharply reduced. However, as a party to the United Nations' International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Communication Rights (1978), and under some protection provisions of the Basic Law, the free space of Hong Kong citizens can still to a certain extent be protected and can even be appropriately expanded.
We have always believed that Hong Kong is still valuable to China (especially its financial functions) under one country, two systems. With the National Security Law and Article 23, Mainland China could give less consideration to the security threat of Hong Kong. Maybe is it even time to bring up universal suffrage of Chief Executive and Legislative Council again? After all, the constitutional responsibilities of the Basic Law does not confine to Article 23 but include universal suffrage of Chief Executive and Legislative Council . This forum is dedicated to discussing how Hong Kong citizens who support democracy and freedom can continue to exercise freedom of speech and freedom of thought under the National Security Law and Article 23.