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.

香港監察香港人權狀況簡報：2025年9月

香港人權狀況在《國家安全法》實施及《維護國家安全條例》（俗稱23條）通過後急速惡化，這份簡報記錄了2025年9月香港的事態發展。

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摘要

本月發展突顯香港公民自由持續受損，政治控制不斷加強，以及當局與外國外交官之間的關係愈趨緊張。

立法會否決《同性伴侶關係登記條例草案》，為2022年實施「愛國者治港」立法會後，首次有政府法案被否決，對LGBTQ+權利造成重挫。另一邊廂，北京向新任美國駐港總領事伊珠麗（Julie Eadeh）劃下「紅線」，警告不要與民主派人士接觸。與此同時，流亡社運人士羅冠聰被新加坡拒絕入境。

法庭方面，《國安法》案件裁決顯示司法獨立持續受制約，多人因展示抗爭口號等象徵式行為而被定罪。

港府亦透過要求學校活動不會涉及危害國家安全的內容，並更嚴格監管文化藝術空間，加強意識形態控制。劇作家莊梅岩懷疑被母校香港演藝學院封殺，可見文化審查持續存在。選民登記人數連續四年下跌，反映在「愛國者治港」制度下，公眾愈來愈失望。

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