Issue
- What is the reach of Hong Kong's national security laws outside Hong Kong?
- How does foreign-interference language compare with UK, Singapore, Canada, and Australia?
- What risks arise for researchers, NGOs, media, and cross-border businesses?
Research Topics
Extraterritoriality and Transnational Effects
Compares overseas application, foreign sanctions requests, diaspora advocacy, international business risk, and foreign-interference frameworks.
Related topics
16 records
Safeguarding National Security Ordinance
Instrument A305; effective 23 March 2024
Hong Kong's local Article 23 legislation covering treason, insurrection, sabotage, external interference, state secrets and espionage, and related investigatory and procedural powers.
- Jurisdiction
- Hong Kong
- Body
- HKSAR Legislative Council
Article 23SNSOstate secretsexternal interference
Safeguarding National Security: Basic Law Article 23 Legislation Public Consultation Document
Security Bureau consultation paper, January 2024
Official consultation paper setting out the proposed framework that led to the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, including treason, insurrection, sedition, state secrets, sabotage, external interference, procedure, and extraterritorial application.
- Jurisdiction
- Hong Kong
- Body
- HKSAR Security Bureau
Article 23consultationSNSOextraterritorialitystate secrets
Order of Prohibition of Operation of Organizations in the HKSAR
G.N. (E.) 174 of 2025; Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, s. 60(1)
Order prohibiting the operation or continued operation in Hong Kong of Hong Kong Parliament and Hong Kong Democratic Independence Union under section 60(1) of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.
- Jurisdiction
- Hong Kong
- Body
- Secretary for Security
SNSOprohibited organizationssection 60external organizations
HKSAR v Chung Hon Lam
DCCC 27/2021; [2021] HKDC 1484
Early secession sentencing decision involving Studentlocalism, online platforms, overseas advocacy, and fundraising links.
- Jurisdiction
- Hong Kong
- Body
- District Court
secessionStudentlocalismsentencingonline speech
HKSAR v Lai Chee Ying and Apple Daily Companies
HCCC 51/2022; [2025] HKCFI 6291
Major collusion and sedition verdict involving Apple Daily, foreign-sanctions allegations, and the relationship between press activity and national security offences.
- Jurisdiction
- Hong Kong
- Body
- Court of First Instance
Jimmy LaiApple Dailycollusionseditionpress
Hong Kong: New Security Law Full-Scale Assault on Rights
Human Rights Watch, 19 March 2024
Human Rights Watch critique of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, focusing on speech, civil society, police powers, due process, and extraterritorial reach.
- Jurisdiction
- Hong Kong / International
- Body
- Human Rights Watch
Article 23rightsextraterritorialitycivil society
Submission on Hong Kong Government Public Consultation Document: Safeguarding National Security
Georgetown Center for Asian Law, 27 February 2024
Article 23 consultation submission critiquing the government's comparative-law claims, sedition proposals, extraterritorial jurisdiction, pretrial detention, and judicial safeguards.
- Jurisdiction
- Hong Kong / Comparative
- Body
- Georgetown Center for Asian Law
Article 23comparative lawextraterritorialityGeorgetown
The National Security Law for Hong Kong: Impacts on Civic Space and Civil Society Engagement with the UN
International Service for Human Rights, September 2022
NGO report on how the NSL affects Hong Kong civil society, human-rights advocacy, and engagement with UN mechanisms.
- Jurisdiction
- Hong Kong / International
- Body
- International Service for Human Rights
civil societyUN engagementhuman rights defenderscivic space
Country Policy and Information Note: Hong Kong National Security Legislation, China
UK Visas and Immigration, Version 4.0, April 2025; updated 30 January 2026
Government country-information note for protection decision-makers, summarizing NSL and SNSO offences, enforcement patterns, bail, press freedom, extraterritoriality, and asylum-risk assessment.
- Jurisdiction
- Hong Kong / United Kingdom
- Body
- UK Home Office / UK Visas and Immigration
country informationasylumUK Home Officeextraterritoriality
National Security Act 2023
2023 c. 32
UK statute modernising offences concerning protected information, trade secrets, foreign intelligence services, sabotage, foreign interference, and related enforcement powers.
- Jurisdiction
- United Kingdom
- Body
- UK Parliament
United Kingdomforeign interferenceespionagesabotage
Foreign Agents Registration Act
22 U.S.C. §§ 611-621
Disclosure and registration regime for agents of foreign principals, useful for comparing foreign-influence transparency measures with foreign-interference criminal laws.
- Jurisdiction
- United States
- Body
- United States Congress
United Statesforeign agentsregistrationforeign influence
International Emergency Economic Powers Act
50 U.S.C. §§ 1701-1710
National-emergency economic powers framework frequently used for sanctions, asset blocking, and restrictions responding to external threats.
- Jurisdiction
- United States
- Body
- United States Congress
United Statessanctionsasset blockingemergency powers
Foreign Interference (Countermeasures) Act 2021
Act 28 of 2021
Singapore legislation providing countermeasures against hostile information campaigns and foreign political interference.
- Jurisdiction
- Singapore
- Body
- Singapore Parliament
Singaporeforeign interferenceinformation campaigns
Act on Promotion of Ensuring National Security Through Integrated Implementation of Economic Measures
Act No. 43 of 2022
Economic-security legislation covering stable supply of critical products, essential infrastructure, critical technologies, and non-disclosure of patent applications.
- Jurisdiction
- Japan
- Body
- National Diet of Japan
Japaneconomic securitycritical infrastructurepatents
Foreign Interference and Security of Information Act
R.S.C., 1985, c. O-5
Canadian legislation addressing foreign interference and security of information, current to 2026 according to the Justice Laws website.
- Jurisdiction
- Canada
- Body
- Parliament of Canada
Canadaforeign interferencesecurity of information
National Security Legislation Amendment (Espionage and Foreign Interference) Act 2018
No. 67, 2018
Australian legislation introducing and amending espionage, foreign interference, sabotage, secrecy, and related national security offences.
- Jurisdiction
- Australia
- Body
- Parliament of Australia
Australiaespionageforeign interferencesabotage