Hong Kong passes new immigration Bill raising fears of exit ban

[HONG KONG] Hong Kong's government on Wednesday passed a new immigration Bill that has raised concerns among some sections of society that it could be used to prevent dissidents from leaving the city.

The newly passed Bill will expedite the process of handling refugees, including speeding up the repatriation of claimants who have already been rejected and reducing the number of illegal non-ethnically Chinese immigrants and those who have overstayed their visas. The Bill, which takes effect on Aug 1, includes a provision that gives the city's immigration director power to prevent any passengers or crew members from boarding a flight.

In February, the Hong Kong Bar Association expressed concern that the move could give "unfettered power" to impose a travel ban and called on the government to amend the clause to make clear that it would not apply to Hong Kong residents.

The government has dismissed the concerns as "complete nonsense," saying that the new Bill is aimed at tackling the surge in refugee claims in recent years and denied that the Bill will have any impact on local residents' ability to leave or enter the Asian financial centre.

China has tightened its political grip over Hong Kong following the 2019 protests through measures including last year's national security law. Last month, Beijing signed orders to amend the city's Basic Law to ensure that central leaders would control the outcome of Hong Kong's elections, a move that has been condemned by the US, UK, Japan and the European Union.

BLOOMBERG