Hong Kong arrests six people under Beijing-inspired national security law, including lawyer Chow Hang-tung

Hong Kong police arrested six people on Tuesday accused of violating a new national security law, marking the first time the government has used the legislation to crack down on free speech.

The six suspects are accused of “(advocating) hatred” against the governments of Hong Kong and China, Hong Kong’s security secretary said. One of the suspects is lawyer Chow Hang-tung, a prominent pro-democracy activist who is already in maximum detention. security prison and was re-arrested on new charges while in prison. Chow was incarcerated in 2021 for violating Beijing’s national security reforms, implemented in 2020.