Hong Kong’s government is set to modernize its prison regulations, proposing significant updates to prison rules that have remained largely unchanged for over seven decades. The proposed amendments, announced on July 7, 2025, aim to address contemporary challenges while balancing national security concerns with individual rights.

The proposed changes focus on three primary areas: visit restrictions, prisoner privileges, and official visit protocols. At the heart of these revisions is a comprehensive approach to enhancing correctional facility management and security.

Visit restrictions represent the most substantial proposed change. The Correctional Services Department would gain expanded powers to manage and potentially limit prisoner interactions. Under the new rules, visits could be refused or restricted based on five specific criteria: safeguarding national security, preventing crime, rehabilitating prisoners, protecting individual safety, and maintaining prison security and discipline.

Notably, the proposed amendments include nuanced provisions for legal representation. While contact between prisoners and legal representatives could be restricted through a magistrate’s warrant, inmates would retain the critical right to choose alternative legal representatives. This ensures that the fundamental right to legal defense remains protected, even under restricted circumstances.

The proposed changes also address prisoner privileges, specifically targeting the current system allowing prisoners under trial to consume private meals and wear personal clothing. Authorities cite concerns about security, health, and existing privilege structures as motivations for this potential modification.

Another significant update involves the “named persons” list for official prison visits. District councillors would be removed from this privileged category, while Legislative Council members, Executive Council members, and Justices of the Peace would remain authorized for official visits.

Secretary for Security Chris Tang has emphasized that these proposed revisions are carefully considered, describing them as “reasonable, rational, necessary, and proportionate.” The government has stressed that appropriate safeguards have been developed to strike a delicate balance between national security imperatives, public safety, and individual rights.

The implementation timeline suggests an expedited process. The authorities plan to submit the necessary documentation to the Legislative Council and aim to publish the amendments in the Gazette, enabling immediate implementation upon publication.

These proposed prison rule updates reflect broader shifts in Hong Kong’s approach to institutional governance. By modernizing regulations that have remained largely unchanged since the 1950s, the government signals its commitment to adapting institutional frameworks to contemporary challenges.

The proposed changes underscore a complex negotiation between security considerations and individual rights. While expanding the Correctional Services Department’s discretionary powers, the amendments simultaneously preserve fundamental legal protections, such as the right to legal representation.

As these proposed revisions move through the legislative process, they will likely generate significant discussion about the balance between institutional security and individual freedoms. The government’s approach suggests a careful, measured strategy aimed at addressing contemporary correctional management challenges while maintaining core principles of justice and individual rights.