Hong Kong issues arrest warrants on six activists
Bounties have been set at HK$1 million under charges of ‘secession, subversion and collusion’
Hong Kong police have announced a new round of arrest warrants for six pro-democracy activists based abroad. Bounties have been set at HK$1 million, or roughly US$129,000, for information leading to their arrests.
The six activists are wanted on charges that include secession, subversion and collusion with foreign forces. The move underscores how the government of Hong Kong, a special administration region of China, targets opponents living in exile in retaliation for their work.
Included in the six are:
- Chloe Cheung, a 19-year-old activist with the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong.
- Carmen Lau, a former district councilor and activist with the Hong Kong Democracy Council.
- Tony Chung, the former leader of the now-defunct pro-independence group Studentlocalism.
Arrest warrant
Cheung, who is now based in the United Kingdom, wrote in a statement on Tuesday:
Fear cannot restrain me. Suppression cannot silence me. I will wear this burden with pride and without fear.
Lau also said she would not let the arrest warrant and bounty deter her work. She pointed out in a statement on social media platform X, formerly Twitter:
I have always considered serving Hong Kongers and fighting for freedom and democracy my lifelong obligation. As a member of the diaspora and as a Hong Konger, I swear to put our fight for Hong Kong before anything else, even before myself.
Others on the list revealed on Tuesday include:
- Chung Kim-wah, a former member of the independent polling organization Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute.
- Joseph Tay, the co-founder of the Canada-based group HongKonger Station.
- Victor Ho, a YouTuber.
The Hong Kong government has previously issued two rounds of arrest warrants and bounties for prominent pro-democracy activists, including ex-lawmakers Ted Hui and Nathan Law, and activists Anna Kwok, Joey Siu and Frances Hui.
The latest round of warrants brings the total number of wanted people to 19.
In a separate move, the Hong Kong government also issued orders for the cancellation of passports belonging to seven “absconders.” They include:
- Kwok, who leads the Hong Kong Democracy Council.
- Siu, a prominent activist.
- And Frances Hui, with the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong.
Security law
“Our crime? Calling on the world to hold the CCP [Chinese Communist Party] accountable for violating the autonomy of our home,” Frances Hui said in a statement on X. She made the statement in solidarity with her colleague Cheung.
The passports of former Hong Kong lawmakers Ted Hui and Dennis Kwok were also canceled under Hong Kong’s security law, which is known as Article 23. Siu said in a post on X:
This is one of the first instances in which Hong Kong authorities have [used] one of the provisions in Article 23. The international community must continue to monitor its implications. And of course, please continue to watch our friends who are still in prison.”
Siu, who is an American citizen, also called on the United States government to do more to help exiled Hong Kongers who are targeted with transnational repression.
The free expression group Article 19 condemned the arrest warrants and passport cancellations as “an outrageous escalation in transnational repression against overseas Hong Kongers.” Michael Caster, the head of Article 19’s China program, said in a statement:
These absurd, arbitrary charges only serve to further drive home the farce of Hong Kong authorities claiming to follow the rule of law.
Hong Kong’s Security Bureau did not immediately reply to Voice of America’s email requesting comment.
Sham trial
The arrest warrants and passport cancellations come as the trial against pro-democracy publisher Jimmy Lai continues in Hong Kong. The trial is widely viewed as a politically motivated sham. Lai, 77, rejects the national security charges against him.
Some information in this report came from the Reuters News Agency and The Associated Press.
Liam Scott is a reporter at Voice of America, covering press freedom and disinformation.
This article is republished courtesy of Voice of America. Read the original article here.
The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy of China Factor.