The U.S. Department of the Treasury on Friday announced sanctions against 11 individuals for “undermining Hong Kong’s autonomy and restricting the freedom of expression or assembly of the citizens of Hong Kong.”
The Treasury Department said recent actions taken by the People’s Republic of China “fundamentally undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy and democratic processes.” Treasury further said the imposition of this “draconian” national security legislation infringes on the rights of Hong Kong citizens, “allowing mainland China’s security services to operate with impunity in the region, mandating ‘national security education’ in Hong Kong schools, undermining the rule of law, and setting the groundwork for censorship of any individuals or outlets that are deemed unfriendly to China.”
