Priests failing to report people who confess national security offences could face charges, says Ronny Tong

Priests who heard confessions from people committing national security offences and failed to report them to authorities could face charges under Hong Kong’s new domestic security law, said executive councilor Ronny Tong Ka-wah on Monday.

His comments came as Hong Kong is set to pass its own version of national security law, covering treason, sedition, and state secrets. Under the bill, people who have knowledge of treason but do not report it will be found guilty of "misprision of treason" - with a maximum sentence of 14 years in jail.

Tong said he found no reason for priests and social workers to be exempted from the law, and it is up to individuals to determine the importance of abiding by the law and the requirements of their work.

He emphasized that national security should be everyone’s priority and that the highest penalty for treason is life imprisonment.

Treason is considered more severe than murder, arson, or robbery and needs to be dealt with seriously, he added.