The government proposes to amend the Prison Rules, granting the Correctional Services Department (CSD) the authority to deny certain social visits to persons in custody on grounds of national security.

The proposed amendments would empower the CSD to seek court orders restricting inmates' contact with specific legal representatives or registered doctor visits for pre-trial detainees in national security cases.

Abuse of remand prisoner privileges

The authorities stated that the proposal follows cases where individuals abused the visit under the guise of a "humanitarian support" purpose, attempting to incite inmates to resist CDS.

Some even sought to stir up hatred toward the central and Hong Kong governments, potentially turning released inmates into national security and public safety risks.

The proposed amendment stipulates that the statutory purpose of visits must be to assist inmates in rehabilitation, among other legitimate reasons. Under the revised rules, the CSD will have the authority to deny visitation requests.

Meanwhile, the proposed rules include prohibiting persons in custody from procuring or receiving outside food, alcohol, or wearing private clothing.

The proposed changes aim to strengthen prison management, particularly in situations posing threats to national security or requiring crime prevention measures.

Eliminating loopholes

The government cited over 300 disciplinary incidents between 2018 and 2024 linked to the current system, where inmates exploited external deliveries to form prison factions and undermine CSD authority.

They also highlighted cases where inmates pass unauthorized items to legal advisors for removal from prison, which attempts to obstruct justice or endanger national security, emphasizing the need to prevent such abuses.

(Judy Cui and Khan Heeba Lazmi)