A national security law would relate to three ordinances that makes up Hong Kong's penal law, the Official Secrets Ordinance, Crimes Ordinance and Societies Ordinance.[2][2] The Societies Ordinance in particular covers elements of security, as it was intended to prevent the creation of criminal secret societies and triads. In 1949, with the influx of migrants from China, it was reintroduced and amended to specifically mention "foreign political organisations".[2] The Crimes Ordinance covers the handling of dissent within the region. In place since 1971, and never amended, the ordinance sets a legal standard allowing people to be imprisoned simply for handling material deemed to be against the government, without need for evidence.[3]