Hong Kong yesterday offered bounties of HK$1 million (US$128,748) for six more democracy campaigners deemed to have contravened national security laws, and revoked the passports of seven more, as the territory keeps up a security campaign.
The move to add more names to Hong Kong’s wanted list comes as the territory strives to revive economic growth and refurbish its international reputation after a years-long crackdown on dissent that attracted global criticism.
Hong Kong Secretary for Security Chris Tang (鄧炳強) said the group, all based overseas in countries such as the UK and Canada, were guilty of the crimes of incitement to secession, subversion and collusion with foreign forces.
Photo: Reuters
The six included Britain-based commentator Chung Kim-wah (鍾劍華), former head of a pro-independence group Tony Chung (鍾翰林), Carmen Lau (劉珈汶) of the Hong Kong Democracy Council and Chloe Cheung (張晞晴) from the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation.
“[I] will not back down only because of an arrest warrant and a bounty,” Lau wrote on X. “And I hope to have every one of you standing with me in this fight for Hong Kong.”
On Instagram, Cheung, 19, wrote: “Fear cannot restrain me, and suppression cannot silence me.”
Photo: Reuters
China and Hong Kong authorities have defended the clampdown under sweeping national security laws, saying stability has been restored after mass pro-democracy protests in 2019.
Tang said the six pro-democracy campaigners had engaged in activities such as speeches, social media posts, and lobbying for Hong Kong officials and judges to be sanctioned by foreign governments, thus endangering national security.
In a statement, China’s office for safeguarding national security in Hong Kong said it supported the actions, as the individuals had engaged in “anti-China” and destabilizing acts.
Others were deemed to have advocated for independence from China.
“Instead of celebrating X’mas, it [Hong Kong] is taking a major step to escalate its transnational repression campaign,” US-based Hong Kong activist Anna Kwok (郭鳳儀) wrote on social media.
The latest additions take to 19 the tally of opposition figures on the territory’s wanted list, including lawyers Kevin Yam (任建峰) and Dennis Kwok (郭榮鏗), former lawmaker Ted Hui (許智?), and activists Nathan Law (羅冠聰) and Joey Siu (邵嵐).
Tang said Hui had HK$800,000 of his money confiscated from an unspecified bank in the territory. Notices with black and white photographs of the “fugitives” have been posted in public places, such as the international airport.
Seven “absconders”, including Hui, who are now based overseas, also had their passports revoked under Article 23, a new national security law adopted this year.
“They will become someone without an identity,” Tang told reporters.
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