The Hong Kong police launched quite a bizarre campaign in the People’s Republic of China’s Special Administrative Region recently. Get this, the authorities there saw fit to create a special hotline where citizens can repot any breaches of the national security law that was imposed by Beijing earlier this year. The law itself has been criticised internationally and has been labelled as draconian because it criminalises secession, subversion and collusion with foreign forces.
As reported by BBC, the Hong Kong police department posted on Facebook saying that the hotline will allow people to report “national security issues” anonymously without fear of their identity be revealed.
Here is the Facebook post:
This is quite ironic given that Facebook is not particularly known for having the best privacy policies and for the fact that Facebook is banned in China, where the orders for the Hong Kong police came from. Nevertheless, it is not banned in Hong Kong.
Through the hotline, residents can send images, audio and video files via WeChat, email or text. Given the anonymity of the hotline, many have feared that it may be manipulated by certain quarters to report a false crime on someone they don’t like.
Furthermore, the national security law which helps to enforce the national security law has been used by the Chinese authorities to target pro-democracy groups.
Hong Kong has been in a state of unrest since last year following protests against the Anti-Extradition Law Amendment Bill enforced by the People’s Republic of China. However, it seems that the hotline proved to be quite popular, receiving more than 1,000 tips within mere hours of being set up.
Let’s hope that the service is not being misused for mischievous purposes by the locals! What do you guys think of this action by the Hong Kong police? Share your thoughts with us in the comments.
Also read: Video: Hong Kong Police Manhandle 12yo Girl Who Said She Went To Buy School Supplies
