The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government on Tuesday banned the operation of the "Hong Kong Parliament" and the "Hong Kong Democratic Independence Union" in the city with immediate effect.

Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung exercised power conferred by the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO) to prohibit the operations of the two entities. 

A gazette notification on this was also published the same day.

The 'Hong Kong Parliament' made representations, but no representations were received from the 'Hong Kong Democratic Independence Union' were received before the deadline, a spokesman for the Security Bureau said in a statement.

Having carefully considered all relevant information, the secretary for security reasonably believes that the prohibition of the operation or continued operation of the two organizations in the HKSAR is necessary for safeguarding national security, added the spokesman.

Pointing out that the two organizations have become 'prohibited organizations' immediately, said the Security Bureau.

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Any person acting, professing or claiming to be an office-bearer of a prohibited organization; conducting any activity or participating in any meeting and inciting any other person to become a member of such organizations; and giving aid of any kind to or procuring any subscription or aid for a prohibited organization is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of HK$1,000,000 and imprisonment for 14 years.

“Endangering national security is a very serious offence. Such acts or activities may lead to extremely grave consequences,” said the spokesman.

Police will strictly enforce the law against relevant criminal acts and appeal to members of the public not to defy the law, participate in any activities of prohibited organizations, or have any connection with them by dissociating themselves from prohibited organizations, added the spokesman.