TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — A total of 129 civil servants in Hong Kong now face “forced retirement” for failing to sign a document swearing allegiance to the city's government following the implementation of the sweeping national security law last year.

The Hong Kong Civil Service Bureau (CSB) in January issued a notice asking the city’s 175,000 public officials to sign a document within four weeks. They are “obliged to uphold the Basic Law, bear allegiance to the government, and be dedicated in their duties,” the CSB said in a statement.

As of April 1, some 129 civil servants had “ignored, refused to sign, or declined to submit” the document, including 16 that work in law enforcement. Among them, 25 have resigned and one has been removed from their post for inappropriate conduct, wrote UDN.

The CSB demanded explanations from those who failed to comply, claiming the authorities are entitled to terminate their services in the interest of the public. Meanwhile, the Hong Kong government announced that the measure will be applied to contracted employees who work in government agencies, with more information to be announced next month.

A total of 26 civil servants in Hong Kong have been arrested for participating in anti-extradition protests between 2019 and 2020, CNA quoted Secretary for the Civil Service Patrick Nip (聶德權) as saying.