On Tuesday, November 19, at 9:00 a.m. ET, the Atlantic Council’s Global China Hub will hold a virtual event to launch Hong Kong Watch’s forthcoming report, In the Name of National Security: How Hong Kong’s National Security Laws Dismantle the Rule of Law in Comparative Perspective.

The event will feature the report’s author, Anouk Wear, a Research and Policy Advisor at Hong Kong Watch. Her report analyzes how Hong Kong’s National Security Law (2019) and Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (2024) undermine the rule of law by eroding Hong Kong Special Administrative Region’s (HKSAR) liberal constitutional framework, judicial independence, and separation of powers.

The report also places Hong Kong’s national security laws in a broader context, comparing them with legislation in the PRC, Russia, and Malaysia, illustrating their alignment with the restrictive measures of authoritarian regimes. It concludes with recommendations for foreign policymakers, international businesses, and legal professional bodies, offering guidance as the global community reassesses its relationship with an increasingly authoritarian HKSAR.

The event will bring together a group of experts to delve into the report’s findings and explore how the overall rule of law and human rights situation in Hong Kong continues to decline as a result of these laws.

The discussion will take place virtually. You can also view the event on the YouTube link above or on X (Twitter). To RSVP, please register via the registration box on this page.