The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress on April 26 approved revised amendments to the Counter-Espionage Law of the People’s Republic of China, in the first revision of the legislation since 2014. Under the previous law, threats to national security narrowly concerned state secrets. However, the new provisions broaden the scope of “espionage” to encompass any action, document, data or material which may be considered a threat to national security by state authorities. The reforms also expand the duties of law enforcement personnel in countering espionage activity, and the definition of “spying” has been broadened to include cyberattacks. The reforms follow President Xi Jinping’s new emphasis on strengthening “national security.”
The amendments will go into effect in July 2023.
From Jurist, April 28. Used with permission.
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China: eight-year term for rights activist
China sentenced lawyer and rights activist Guo Feixiong to a prison term of eight years on May 11, with diplomats from several countries saying they were barred from the trial in the southern city of Guangzhou.
The sentence follows terms of more than a decade in prison each handed to two prominent rights lawyers, Ding Jiaxi and Xu Zhiyong in April. (VOA)
Guo Feixiong, also known as Yang Maodong, was on hunger strike for several months while in detention. (RFA)