Hong Kong offers rewards for the arrest of six activists abroad

Hong Kong police have offered HK$1m (£103,000; $129,000) rewards for information leading to the arrest of six pro-democracy activists living in the UK and Canada.

Among them is Tony Chung, who was the leader of the party that fought for freedom fled to the UK last year.

The group – which includes a former county councillor, an actor, and a YouTuber – have been calling for more democracy in the area. All are accused of violating the city’s national security law.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy condemned the move, calling on the Hong Kong authorities to “end their targeting of people in the UK and elsewhere who stand up for freedom and democracy”.

“We will not tolerate any attempts by foreign governments to coerce, intimidate, harass or harm their critics overseas, especially in the UK,” he said, adding that the UK government is committed to supporting those from Hong Kong who immigrate to the UK. .

Also on the wanted list are former district councilor Carmen Lau and activist Chloe Cheung. They are both based in the UK and are petitioning for two NGOs seeking more democracy in Hong Kong.

Arrest warrants were also issued for political analyst and researcher Chung Kim-wah, who left Hong Kong for the UK in 2022, and two Canadian-based individuals: former actor Joseph Tay, who founded the NGO HongKonger Station, and YouTuber Victor Ho.

Mr Ho was charged with coup d’état while six others were charged with inciting separatism and collaborating with a foreign country or foreign forces.

According to Hong Kong public broadcaster RTHK, the arrest warrants were announced by senior police officials in the city on Tuesday, accusing some of the wanted activists of repeatedly asking foreign countries to impose sanctions and other measures against China and Hong Kong.

Mr Chung was first convicted in 2021 of seeking Hong Kong secession and was released in June last year.

He wrote on Instagram on Tuesday that it was “an honor to be the first Hongkonger to be charged twice under the National Security Act”.

Mr Chung said the news did not surprise him as he breached a caution order after his release from prison and fled to the UK last year.

“I knew this day would come. From the moment I decided to leave Hong Kong, I was fully aware that I would not be able to return for a long time,” he wrote.

Mr Chung confirmed to the BBC that he is still waiting for his asylum application to be approved by the UK government.

Ms Lau wrote to X that the warrant would not stop her legal practice. He called on the UK, US and EU governments to impose sanctions on “Hong Kong human rights abusers”.

He also called on Britain’s Labor government to “carefully consider its strategies to deal with international repression against Hong Kongers” and consider plans to block the Chinese embassy in Tower Hill.

Earlier this month, Tower Hamlets councillors they voted unanimously to reject the plans. However, this decision is advisory only and not binding and it will be up to Deputy Prime Minister and Communities Secretary Angela Rayner to decide whether or not to give permission.

This is the third round of arrest warrants and warrants issued since the National Security Law was imposed by Beijing.

The first two rounds were released in July and December last year, and were directed at former lawyer Nathan Law – who told the BBC last year that. his life has become very dangerous since the award was announced – and Simon Cheng, a former UK embassy official He was arrested in 2019 for a high-profile crime. Both men are now based in the UK.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning supported the move on Tuesday, saying the Chinese government supports Hong Kong “in carrying out its duties in accordance with the law”.

He added that Hong Kong is “a society governed by the rule of law and no one has foreign rights”.

Hong Kong’s controversial National Security Law was released in 2020 in response to the 2019 anti-government protests that rocked the city for months.

Authorities in Beijing and Hong Kong say the law is necessary to maintain stability and deny it weakens autonomy, but critics say it reduces the city’s autonomy and outlaws a wide range of dissident activities.