Hong Kong Watch Briefing on Human Rights Developments: September 2025

This briefing describes developments in Hong Kong in September 2025 focusing on the rapid deterioration of human rights in the city following the imposition of the National Security Law and the passage of Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.

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Executive Summary

This month’s developments highlight the continued erosion of civil liberties, deepening political control, and growing tensions between Hong Kong authorities and foreign diplomats.

The Legislative Council voted down the Registration of Same-Sex Partnerships Bill—the first government bill rejected since the “patriots-only” legislature was installed in 2022—marking a major setback for LGBTQ+ rights and judicial compliance. Meanwhile, Beijing issued unprecedented “red lines” to the new US Consul General in Hong Kong, warning against contact with pro-democracy figures, and exiled activist Nathan Law was denied entry to Singapore.

In the courts, rulings under the National Security Law continued to demonstrate limited judicial independence, while symbolic acts such as displaying protest-related slogans were criminalised.

The government also intensified ideological control through mandatory national security checks for all school activities and tightened oversight of the arts. Cultural censorship persists, as seen in the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts’ alleged blacklisting of playwright Candace Chong. Voter registration dropped for the fourth consecutive year, reflecting growing public disillusionment under the “patriots-only” system.

Photo: 美國之音湯惠芸, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons