New Hong Kong rules force people to give up passwords in national security cases

Anyone who fails to comply faces a year in prison and a fine of HK$100,000 (S$16,400). Read more at straitstimes.com.

HONG KONG - People in Hong Kong will now face a year in jail if they refuse to give police their phone or computer passwords in investigations involving the city’s strict national security law, the government said on March 23.

The new rules apply to the implementation of Hong Kong’s national security law, which was imposed by Beijing in 2020 after huge and sometimes violent pro-democracy protests in the financial hub.

One of the amendments that came into effect on March 23 requires people to provide “any password or other decryption method” necessary to allow police to access electronic equipment that is believed to hold evidence.

Anyone who fails to comply faces a year in prison and a fine of HK$100,000 (S$16,400).

Previously, refusal to give police a password to unlock a phone or other electronic device did not constitute obstruction.

The new rule applies to people under investigation for endangering national security and people who own or possess the equipment involved, as well as those authorised to access the equipment and anyone who knows the password or decryption method.