The confidentiality of the Sacrament of Confession could be under threat in Hong Kong due to a new national security law that the Chinese government is currently pushing through.
In a joint letter, 16 international experts in freedom of religion and belief have expressed “profound and grave concerns” about the implications of the new security law, known as “Article 23” legislation, under consideration in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).
Hong Kong’s Secretary for Justice Paul Lam Ting-kwok recently said that under the new security law a person could be punished with up to 14 years in prison for knowing that another person has committed “treason” while not informing the authorities within a reasonable time, reports Hong Kong Watch, whose co-founder Benedict Rogers helped organise the joint letter.
