Hong Kong’s new prison rules may curb lawyer and chaplain visits on national security grounds
“Under the new rules, effective Friday, magistrates can issue warrants on application by correctional service officers to bar exchanges between specific legal representatives and persons in custody if the judges believe such connections could harm national security or cause bodily harm to any person, among other reasons.”
“The department can also restrict certain visits, including those made by specific chaplains, for purposes such as maintaining national security, preventing crime and facilitating inmate rehabilitation.”
“Official data show hundreds of people were sent to correctional services facilities each year between 2020 and 2024 over offenses linked to the protests or for allegedly endangering national security. As of Dec. 31, 2024, nearly 600 people were in custody for such offenses, according to the correctional services department.”