Hong Kong proposes to let city leader decide what counts as national security offense

Hong Kong proposed legislation would let the chief executive designate certain criminal acts as national security offenses, refining how cases are classified.
Critics say this hands the executive unreviewable power that could erode the rule of law and be used to target dissidents — building on post‑2019 security crackdowns.
Officials insist the move is procedural to handle sensitive information, won’t create new crimes, and courts still determine guilt.