Canada yesterday warned its citizens that Hong Kong authorities can prevent people leaving the territory.
The law, which grants immigration authorities powers to bar people from boarding planes to and from the territory, came into effect on Sunday.
“Under this amendment, individuals, including foreigners, might be unable to leave the territory,” Canada’s travel advisory Twitter account said.
Photo: AP
The message linked to an updated advisory that Ottawa published on Tuesday that specifically mentioned the new rules.
“You may not be aware that you are the subject of movement restrictions until you try to leave Hong Kong,” the advisory said. “In the absence of clarifying legislation, these new powers may relate to investigations into an individual, their family or an employer, and criminal and civil matters.”
So-called “exit bans” are often used by mainland China against people who challenge authorities.
They have also trapped businesspeople involved in commercial disputes.
Some Western nations, including the US and the UK, have criticized the law, but Canada is the first to explicitly mention the exit-ban risk in a travel advisory.
The Hong Kong government says that the law would not be applied to people leaving the territory and is aimed at stopping the arrival of illegal immigrants.
However, the wording does not limit the power to arriving flights or immigrants, and legal experts say it could also be applied to anyone leaving Hong Kong.
In a potential recognition of those concerns, Hong Kong’s government in April said it would draft subsidiary legislation specifying that the law would only be applied to inbound flights.
Separately, a judge cleared singer and democracy advocate Anthony Wong (黃秋生) of a charge of “corrupt conduct” filed this week by the Hong Kong Independent Commission Against Corruption over an appearance at an opposition election rally in 2018.
The commission on Monday said that Wong had provided “entertainment to induce others to vote” for democracy advocate Au Nok-hin (區諾軒) in a 2018 legislative by-election.
Wong, 59, performed two songs then appealed to the audience to vote for Au, it said.
“Hong Kongers will continue to sing. Hong Kongers will continue to hang in there,” Wong told reporters outside the court after the hearing.
Additional reporting by Reuters
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