The Hong Kong government has repeatedly denied the national security law is suppressing freedoms.
A number of Hong Kong activists who fled abroad labelled the election, in which prospective candidates were first screened by the government, as a “sham”, a criticism echoed by many rights groups and international observers.
Four years on, Hong Kong democrats have effectively been barred from running after a major electoral overhaul that ensures only “patriots” loyal to Běijīng can hold office.