The enabling environment for civil society in Hong Kong has deteriorated rapidly since the enactment of the National Security Law (NSL) in 2020 and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO) in 2024. Although rights are formally protected under the Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights Ordinance, broadly defined national security laws have been used to criminalise dissent, shut down organisations, and restrict freedoms of expression, assembly, and association. Over 90 NGOs, 175 trade unions, and multiple independent media outlets have disbanded under pressure. Prominent journalists and pro-democracy figures have been jailed, and high-profile trials have reinforced a pervasive climate of fear and self-censorship.

Civil society actors face growing harassment, including arrests, prosecutions, asset freezes, intrusive information demands, and stigmatisation in state-aligned media. Engagement with international human rights mechanisms is at times framed as politically motivated or disloyalty, further narrowing space for legitimate advocacy. Public consultation has become largely performative, with dissenting voices routinely dismissed as “seditious” or “foreign interference.” The government’s “rebuttal team” actively discredits criticism, while digital surveillance has made online space unsafe—even symbolic speech can result in prosecution.

While civic space is formally classified as closed, Hong Kong’s civil society remains resilient and determined. Individuals and groups continue to adapt—shifting activities online, quietly supporting one another, and finding creative ways to serve their communities and defend fundamental rights. Their work reflects not only persistence, but a deep and enduring commitment to human dignity and universal human rights.