The controversial proposals were laid out in a consultation document issued by the Hong Kong government in September 2002.
The proposed "Article 23 of the Basic Law" will prohibit foreign political organisations or bodies from conducting political activities in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, for purposes of national security, and will make it illegal for similar Hong Kong organisations to "establish ties" with foreign political bodies.
The law provides for a maximum of seven years' imprisonment for anyone who publishes information characterised as a "seditious publication" or as "endangering the stability of China and Hong Kong."
According to human rights body Human Rights Watch, the proposed Article 23 will create broad offences that could result in the erosion of basic civil rights, such as freedom of speech, therefore compromising Hong Kong's international commitments related to human rights.
It is also feared that the proposed legislation could be abused by the Hong Kong government to justify internet restrictions similar to those in China, where all foreign web sites referring to the country are blocked.
In an open letter sent to Hong King Chief Executive C.H. Tung, the Human Rights Watch claims that the period of public consultation must be longer, and urges the region's government to justify the necessity of the measure.
The Hong Kong Government, on the other hand, claims that it received more than 90,000 submissions from organisations and individuals during the consultation, which ended on 24th December 2002, and that all views will be considered before the implementation of the law.
The consultation document, and more information on Article 23, is available from:
www.info.gov.hk/sb/eng/23/index.html