The Chinese government must immediately repeal a new cyber-security law that gives the authorities carte blanche to curb the right to freedom of expression and the right to privacy, said Amnesty International.
On Monday, China’s legislature passed the law which defines “cyber-security” in broad and vague terms, and requires internet companies to be complicit in censorship and share personal information of users with the authorities with virtually no safeguards.
“The new cyber-security law tightens the authorities’ repressive grip on the internet."
Patrick Poon, China Researcher at Amnesty International
“The new cyber-security law tightens the authorities’ repressive grip on the internet. It goes further than ever before in codifying abusive practices, with a near total disregard for the rights to freedom of expression and privacy,” said Patrick Poon, China Researcher at Amnesty International.
“This dangerous law commandeers internet companies to be de-facto agents of the state, by requiring them to censor and provide personal data to the authorities at a whim.”
Amnesty International’s submission to the National People’s Congress Standing Committee on a previously published draft of the cyber-security law can be found