In modern society, security and freedom are not opposites. It is difficult to imagine that when a country or a society has no security foundation, it can protect the freedom of the people. The guarantee of national security is essentially the guarantee of the rights and freedom of each individual.
Because different countries have different national conditions and face different national security situations, the interpretation and handling of the relationship between security and freedom are also different. The best way to deal with the tension between safety and freedom is to seek a reasonable balance, both to protect safety and to maintain freedom. As society changes, the balance between security and freedom is also dynamic. When national security is intact, trade-offs tend to be more free; when national security faces greater threats and greater risks, trade-offs tend to be safer. In any case, it is necessary to maintain certain freedoms in order to maintain national security. The key is that the restrictions must be reasonable and consistent with the principle of proportionality. The purpose of restricting freedom for security is not to deprive freedom, but to better guarantee freedom.
When national security cannot be effectively maintained, the lives and property safety of Hong Kong residents, as well as the rights and freedoms enjoyed under the Basic Law and the relevant provisions of the two human rights conventions applicable to Hong Kong, cannot be guaranteed. The purpose of formulating the National Security Law of Hong Kong is to maintain the order of law in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, maintain the prosperity and stability of Hong Kong, and protect the lawful rights and interests of residents of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
This law prevents, suppresses, and punishes only a few people who endanger national security. It does not affect the daily lives of the vast majority of Hong Kong residents, and does not detract from the rights and freedoms provided for in the Basic Law. It is necessary to raise the national security awareness and law-abiding awareness of Hong Kong residents, especially teachers and students, by carrying out national security education.
Hong Kong’s national security laws are in practice. It is necessary to combine the specific cases and continuously debug the relationship between security and freedom in specific situations, especially to achieve the dual purpose of maintaining national security and protecting human rights through judicial practice, which makes more and more Hong Kong residents feel at ease . We must do a good job in the implementation of Hong Kong’s National Security Law and constantly improve it in practice.