Hong Kong Criminalizes Refusing to Share Device Passwords with Police, Including Transit Passengers

Hong Kong has implemented a strict new electronics search law under its National Security Law. It is now a criminal offense to refuse to give police passwords or decryption assistance to access personal electronic devices, such as mobile phones and laptops. The rule applies to everyone in Hong Kong, including those arriving at or transiting through Hong Kong International Airport (HKG). The government also has expanded authority to seize and keep devices as evidence if linked to national security offenses. This differs from US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) practices: while US CBP can request passwords, refusal by foreigners typically results in denied entry, and by US citizens in device detention/exclusion, not criminal prosecution. Hong Kong's rule introduces potential jail time for non-compliance, even for transit passengers who do not formally enter the country