TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Travelers who believe they may have violated Hong Kong’s new Article 23 security law should stay away from the territory, Transportation Minister Wang Kwo-tsai (王國材) said Friday (March 22).

The measure, scheduled to take effect from Saturday (March 23), will result in tough penalties, including life prison sentences, for treason, secession, and collusion with foreign forces. The law allows police to detain suspects for 16 days without charge and to conduct closed-door trials.

Wang said the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Tourism Administration were warning travelers to be take care when visiting Hong Kong, Radio Taiwan International (RTI) reported. 

On Thursday (March 21), National Security Bureau (NSB) Director General Tsai Ming-yen (蔡明彥) gave out a similar message. He said Taiwanese planning to visit Hong Kong should check first whether their phones contained any criticism of China.

The passage of Article 23 has given rise to plans for protests in several cities around the world, including Taipei this weekend.