Department of Justice launches Chinese version of “Annotations of the Hong Kong National Security Law and Sedition Offences in the Crimes Ordinance” and “Compendium 2024”

     The Department of Justice launched the English version of "Annotations of the Hong Kong National Security Law and Sedition Offences in the Crimes Ordinance" in December last year, collating and summarising judgments concerning the Hong Kong National Security Law as well as sections 9 and 10 of the Crimes Ordinance (Cap. 200). The Chinese version of the Annotation is launched today (June 8). The Chinese and English versions have been uploaded to and can be accessed by public at the new dedicated website www.hknslannot.gov.hk/en.

     The Secretary for Justice, Mr Paul Lam, SC, said, "All institutions, organisations and individuals in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) have an obligation to abide by the Hong Kong National Security Law and local laws for safeguarding national security. This body of case-law helps us understand the requirements of our national security laws and how they are being applied by the courts." He expressed gratitude to Professor Albert Chen for his admirable guidance and contributions, serving as the project's Honorary Consultant Editor.

     In addition, the Department of Justice and the Security Bureau, following the publication of the "Articles and Reference Materials on the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the HKSAR" in 2021, have recently complied more than 10 speeches and articles regarding Hong Kong National Security Law or Safeguarding National Security Ordinance published by officials of the Central Authorities and the HKSAR, experts and scholars between 2022 and April 2024, as well as the important documents concerning the "Interpretation by the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress of Article 14 and Article 47 of the 'Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region' ", in "Compendium 2024", which is published today and uploaded to www.doj.gov.hk/en/publications/publications.html for public access.