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‘We must stay vigilant’: John Lee urges Hongkongers to guard against national security threats after activists’ subversion convictions
- Chief Executive John Lee says criminals will use excuses to mislead public and engage in actions endangering national security
- ‘We must stay vigilant. The risk of endangering national security can come as it pleases,’ he added
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Hong Kong’s leader has called on residents to stay vigilant against national security risks, saying the recent subversion convictions of opposition figures have reflected real threats to the city.
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Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu said on Tuesday the court’s verdict concluding that 45 of the 47 activists in an unofficial election to preselect Legislative Council candidates were guilty of subversion had suggested that an “indiscriminate” veto of government budgets would contravene the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution.
Lee made his remarks after the judiciary reserved three days from June 25 for mitigation involving at least four figures in the landmark case under the Beijing-decreed national security law.
The figures include Benny Tai Yiu-ting, a former law professor who initiated the unofficial “primary” election for opposition parties in 2020 to gain a majority in Legco.
The plot, which was floated during the 2019 unrest, was aimed at forcing the administration to accede to protesters’ demands through a possible veto of the government budget.
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Lee also said the convictions had shown the massive scale and severity of the case, as well as the national security risks the city faced.
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