As it happened: Hong Kong legislators make history, passing Article 23 domestic national security bill nearly 27 years after return to Chinese rule

This story has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing.Hong Kong lawmakers have unanimously passed a domestic national security bill, fulfilling a constitutional obligation that was shelved by mass protests more than two decades ago.

The Safeguarding National Security Ordinance spans 39 offences divided into five categories: treason; insurrection, incitement to mutiny and disaffection, and acts with seditious intention; sabotage; external interference; and theft of state secrets and espionage.

Treason, insurrection, inciting members of the Chinese armed forces to mutiny, and colluding with external forces to damage public infrastructure are the four offences punishable by up to life imprisonment. The latter can also apply to offenders based outside Hong Kong.

The Legislative Council earlier on Tuesday became the scene of marathon review proceedings, in a bid to have the legislation quickly written into statute books less than two months after the city government held a public consultation.

Follow our live blog for the latest on the passage of the bill.

Reporting by Kahon Chan, Jeffie Lam, Harvey Kong, Lilian Cheng, Natalie Wong, Willa Wu, Elizabeth Cheung, Emily Hung and Jess Ma