Hong Kong to censor films ‘endangering national security’

Censors have the power to deem films unsuitable for exhibition to “prevent or suppress any act or activity endangering national security,” the Hong Kong government said in a statement.

Hong Kong Censors now have the power to ban films that endanger national security, prompting concerns that freedom of expression is being further curtailed in a city once known for its vibrant arts and film scene. Authorities are cracking down on criticism of Chinese Communist Party rule, arresting many pro-democracy activists in the city and implementing a sweeping national security law last year that criminalises actions such as the calls for independence during months of anti-government protests in 2019. The Hong Kong government announced on Friday that it has amended the guidelines for censors in the city’s Film Censorship Ordinance to include vigilance against any “portrayal, depiction or treatment of any act or activity which may amount to an offense endangering national security”.