Hong Kong's security law enforcement less severe than feared

Hong Kong's national security law, in effect for a year, has caused concern but has not been used as widely as expected. Activists and lawmakers are calling for more transparency on how the law is being applied. Chan Po-ying, a leader of the League of Social Democrats, felt a strong impact when the law was passed last March. Her husband, Leung Kwok-hung, known as "Long Hair," remains in prison longer than she hoped. He was sentenced to nearly seven years in a sedition trial last November. Chan had expected he might be released by 2027, but the new law makes early release for national security offences much harder. Chan has spent 50 years fighting for social equality in Hong Kong. She now faces the reality that her husband's release might be delayed indefinitely under the new law. "We know we shouldn't hope for early release," she said, adding that she just wants her husband to have a fulfilling time in prison. Despite the challenges posed by the new law, Chan’s party is one of the few groups still organizing protests outside the government headquarters. They continue to voice their opposition and push for the rights of prisoners affected by the security law.