Thread by @StephenMcDonell

In #China the Communist Party’s wire service Xinhua has released some details of the new #HongKong security law which will go through the NPC Standing Cttee in the coming weeks in #Beijing: including a new Office of PRC National Security in #HongKong... [cont]

The #HongKong Chief Executive (ie Carrie Lam) will decide which judges can hear national security cases... [I’ll let that one sink in for a bit.] For students of governance see separation of powers and how it’s supposed to work. #China

The #HongKong police force is to set up a special “National Security” branch...

Ultimate interpretation of the new #HongKong security law will rest with the National People’s Congress Standing Committee in #Beijing not in the city’s courts. #China

Did I mention that Carrie Lam will chose which judges can hear national security matters in #HongKong? #China

The #HongKong - apart from their existing powers - will have some, as yet unexplained, extra powers available to them when handling matters involving this new security law. #China

And - again - when these state security trials go before the courts in #HongKong they will be heard by judges hand picked by Carrie Lam (or whoever the next Chief Executive is). #China

This would be interesting: what if the soon to be established state security branch of the #HongKong police (with its extra powers) found evidence and wanted to charge Carrie Lam with subversion or treason? Then I guess the matter would be heard by the judges she chose?

“Very odd”... Understatement of the decade in #HongKong. #China

https://twitter.com/sumlokkei/status/1274307956226453506?s=21

https://t.co/3H8jMaAzDv

“Conflict of interest”... ummm yes.

https://twitter.com/alvinllum/status/1274312598599524352?s=21

https://t.co/mBly0GBmYS