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Hong Kong police on Tuesday announced a new round of arrest warrants for six overseas-based activists, with bounties set at $1 million Hong Kong dollars for information leading to their arrests.
According to the warrants, the six are wanted for national security offenses such as secession, subversion and collusion with foreign forces. They include Tony Chung, the former leader of the now defunct pro-independence group Studentlocalism.
Carmen Lau in the United Kingdom, a former district councilor and current activist with the Hong Kong Democracy Council, as well as Chloe Cheung, an activist with the Hong Kong Freedom Committee, also had warrants issued against her.
The latest round of warrants signals that the Hong Kong government is targeting vocal critics based overseas.
The government had previously issued two rounds of arrest warrants and bounties for more prominent activists, including former lawmakers Ted Hui and Nathan Law.
The rising number of wanted persons abroad comes as Hong Kong continues to crack down on political dissent following massive anti-government protests in 2019 that resulted in a wave of pro-democracy movements. Many outspoken pro-democracy activists have since been jailed, while others have fled abroad.
Chung, the former Studentlocalism leader, said in a story posted on Instagram that he was “honored” to be the first Hong Konger to be charged with violating the national security law twice.
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“As a staunch Hong Kong nationalist, today’s desired note is undoubtedly a kind of affirmation for me. In the future, I will continue Hong Kong’s self-determination without hesitation and without fear,” he wrote.
Separately, Cheung, who is based in the United Kingdom, said in an Instagram post that “even in the face of a powerful enemy, I will continue to do what I believe is right.”
“How weak, incompetent and cowardly does a regime have to be to believe that I, a 19-year-old, ordinary Hong Konger, can endanger the country and ‘divide’? How panicked are they that they have to put me on a multi-million dollar salary she asked.
On X, Lau called on governments, including those of the UK, US and EU countries, to “impose sanctions on Hong Kong human rights abusers without further delay” and urged democracies to uphold Hong Kong’s right to self-determination to support.
“The Hong Kong government’s latest round of arrest warrants and bounties against six Hong Kong activists is a cowardly act of intimidation aimed at silencing Hong Kong people,” said Maya Wang, associate China- director at Human Rights Watch.
“The six – including two Canadian citizens – live in the UK and Canada. We call on the British and Canadian governments to act immediately against the Hong Kong government’s attempts to threaten Hong Kongers living in their countries to live, to push back.
Tuesday’s arrest warrant brings the total number of people wanted to 19.
Others on the list Tuesday are Chung Kim-wah, formerly a senior member of independent polling organization Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute; Joseph Tay, co-founder of Canada-based NGO HongKonger Station; and YouTuber Victor Ho.
Separately on Tuesday, the Hong Kong government issued orders to cancel passports belonging to seven “absconders”, including former lawmakers Hui and Dennis Kwok, who are wanted under the security law.
The orders were made under Hong Kong’s domestic national security law – known as Article 23 – and also prohibits the seven from dealing with funds in Hong Kong, as well as activities related to joint ventures and property.
& copy 2024 The Canadian Press
