Academic freedom in Hong Kong in ‘severe decline,’ report finds, as gov’t hits back
Hong Kong Free Press
An international rights NGO has invited Hong Kong’s government to clarify what it called “fabricated content” in a report published by the NGO that noted there had been a “severe decline” in academic freedom in Hong Kong since the enactment of a security law in 2020.
The report released by Human Rights Watch and Hong Kong Democracy Council on Wednesday contained “fabricated content and irresponsible remarks,” a government spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday night.
Based on interviews with 25 academics and eight students from Hong Kong’s eight publicly funded universities, the report stated that there had been a “severe decline” in academic freedom and the rights to freedom of expression, association and peaceful assembly on Hong Kong’s eight publicly-funded institutions since June 2020, when the Beijing-enacted national security law came into force. Most of the interviewees were granted anonymity.
Responding to the government’s comments on Thursday, HRW’s Maya Wang told HKFP: “We’re disappointed that the [government] has failed to respond to this detailed report – which is also based on many publicly available media reports – with a substantive statement. We would welcome the Hong Kong government to provide details on exactly which part of the report they felt was biased or inaccurate.”
In the 105-page report, the NGOs alleged that all eight universities had taken measures to “harass and marginalise student unions,” noting that some student unions disbanded altogether. It also pointed to the “demise of democracy walls” across various universities. The notice boards on campus were typically used students to discuss political issues and express their views.
The report cited the removal of monuments marking Beijing’s crackdown on a student-led democracy movement in 1989 from several local institutions in December 2021. The move “further chilled free expression on campus,” the report wrote.
Academics and students interviewed said they “widely self-censor” since the national security law took effect to “avoid getting into trouble with the authorities.” Some scholars also said they felt “unsafe” and had stopped teaching “sensitive” courses, the report read.
“They believe they must tread carefully, as any misstep as to what they say, research, write, teach, or publish, or with whom they partner, can potentially land them or those they associate with in serious trouble, resulting in a ripple of repercussions that could even land them in prison for years,” the report read.
The report also mentioned the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, commonly known as Article 23, which was enacted in March. It said the legislation “punishes peaceful speech and activism with heavy prison sentences, expands police powers, and weakens due process rights.”
The NGOs said they had contacted all eight universities with a list of questions, but that only City University of Hong Kong (CityU) had replied. In an emailed response, CityU said it had consistently been at the forefront of ensuring academic freedom and autonomy in Hong Kong and beyond. The institution’s commitment to academic excellence and societal contribution was “unwavering,” it said.
On Wednesday, the Hong Kong government “strongly condemned” the report and sought to cast doubt on its credibility, saying that most interviewees had used pseudonyms.
“[It] is a tactics frequently adopted by anti-China forces, making it difficult to ascertain if the interviewees truly exist. Therefore, the authenticity and credibility of the so-called report is questionable,” a government spokesperson said.
The government also reiterated that academic freedom was an “important social value” treasured in Hong Kong, as well as a cornerstone of the city’s higher education sector. Fundamental freedoms and rights were enshrined in the Basic Law, while the two security laws also clearly stipulated that human rights were respected and protected in safeguarding national security in Hong Kong, it said.
It added that law-abiding people, including students and scholars who did not engage in acts endangering national security, had “no reason to be worried.”
Separate to the 2020 Beijing-enacted security law, the homegrown Safeguarding National Security Ordinance targets treason, insurrection, sabotage, external interference, sedition, theft of state secrets and espionage. It allows for pre-charge detention of to up to 16 days, and suspects’ access to lawyers may be restricted, with penalties involving up to life in prison. Article 23 was shelved in 2003 amid mass protests, remaining taboo for years. But, on March 23, 2024, it was enacted having been fast-tracked and unanimously approved at the city’s opposition-free legislature.
The law has been criticised by rights NGOs, Western states and the UN as vague, broad and “regressive.” Authorities, however, cited perceived foreign interference and a constitutional duty to “close loopholes” after the 2019 protests and unrest.
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