Password or prison: In Hong Kong, refusing to unlock your phone is now a crime

Under Hong Kong’s new rules, law‑enforcement officers can demand passwords and seize devices on mere suspicion.

The failure to provide passwords could lead to one year in jail and a fine of up to HK$100,000 ($12,773) and providing false or misleading information could land you in prison for three years and a fine of up to HK$500,000, according to Guardian.

After the Hong Kong's administration published amendments to the national security law on Monday, the US Department of State warned citizens that even transiting through the airport could subject you to searches by Chinese personnel.

"It is now a criminal offense to refuse to give the Hong Kong police the passwords or decryption assistance to access all personal electronic devices including cellphones and laptops. This legal change applies to everyone, including U.S. citizens, in Hong Kong, arriving or just transiting Hong Kong International Airport," the Department of State said.

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The advisory further said that the Chinese government now has more authority to take and keep any personal devices, as evidence, that they claim are linked to national security offenses. It asked citizens to register with the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (Step) for alerts and messages and alert the Consulate General in Hong Kong and Macau in case of arrest or detention.

China implemented a national security law in 2020 that essentially ended Hong Kong's autonomy and China's long-running 'one country, two systems' model.

Under the 2020 law that has gone through revisions to further tighten Chinese control, the Chinese regime has broad surveillance and detention powers Investigative organs powers to conduct surveillance, request internet data, and detain suspects for up to 14 days without normal habeas‑corpus protections, and even move the accused to the mainland for trials where even token safeguards do not apply.

The national security law criminalised free speech, assembly, and association that China considers to “endanger national security”. It also ended whatever nominal judicial independence existed in the Chinese territory before the law's implementation.