NSL: National Security Department
NSD: the Hong Kong Police National Security Department
When a new National Security Law for Hong Kong went into effect on June 30, 2020, some observers believed it might serve more as a latent threat than an active tool. Many hoped both the Hong Kong government and Beijing might see the enactment of the law itself as a sufficient deterrent, a signal of Beijing’s resolve to turn the page on the widespread public protests in 2019.
Any hopes for restraint have, thus far, been dashed. In the nine months since the National Security Law (NSL) was passed, more than 90 people have been arrested under the new legislation. Though they have been charged with various breaches of national security ranging from inciting secession to terrorism, their primary crime appears to be peaceful criticism of the government. If found guilty, they face prison sentences that could stretch on for years, or even, in some cases, for life. The government has also used the law to reshape Hong Kong’s civil service, to reform the education sector, and to restrict press freedom.