Since its reversion to Chinese sovereignty in 1997, Hong Kong has enjoyed a relatively high degree of autonomy according to a formula referred to as “One Country, Two Systems”. The Basic Law, Hong Kong’s constitutional document, sets out the terms of this arrangement, including the continuation of a separate common law legal system, the independence of the judiciary, guarantees of fundamental rights, and the application of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR). The latter feature is particularly notable since China has signed, but not yet ratified, this core UN human rights treaty. The introduction of the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong SAR on 30 June has raised concerns about the future of this framework, however. Has Hong Kong’s autonomy been compromised or even eliminated? Do the ICCPR and other international human rights treaties that apply to Hong Kong make any difference? This presentation will consider these questions and reflect on opportunities to maintain space for human rights protection despite the current obstacles. About the Speaker Kelley Loper is an Associate Professor and Co-Director of the LLM in Human Rights Programme in the Faculty of Law at the University of Hong Kong. She also serves as Co-Editor-in-Chief of the Asia-Pacific Journal on Human Rights and the Law. She has published extensively on refugee rights, the rights of persons with disabilities, sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination, and the implementation of international human rights law in domestic contexts, especially Hong Kong. She teaches courses on international and regional protection of human rights and equality and non-discrimination. She has advised a number of NGOs and made submissions to UN human rights treaty bodies based on her research on human rights in Hong Kong.