The Hong Kong authorities have dramatically escalated their campaign against pro-democracy activists in exile by issuing arrest warrants for eight notable figures under the Beijing-imposed national security law, amplifying concerns about the controversial legislation’s extraterritorial reach.
Superintendent Steve Li Kwai-wah announced that the police had designated activists Nathan Law, Anna Kwok, Finn Lau, Dennis Kwok, Ted Hui, Kevin Yam, Mung Siu-tat, and Yuan Gong-yi as fugitives. Accused of “encouraging sanctions to destroy Hong Kong”, these high-profile activists, ex-lawmakers, and legal scholars, scattered across the UK, US, and Australia, face charges carrying a maximum life sentence. Along with this, the Hong Kong police offered a bounty of HK$1 million ($127,656) for information leading to each possible arrest.
In response to the accusations, Nathan Law, now under the aegis of asylum in the UK, took to Twitter. He contended that the charges exemplified the authorities’ proclivity to stretch ‘national security’ to suppress dissent. Similarly, Kevin Yam, a legal scholar residing in Australia, voiced his disappointment at Hong Kong’s current trajectory.
1. For the past years, the National Security Bureau has been accusing me of violating the National Security Law. Today, the specifics of the were revealed: Incitement to secession, collusion with foreign forces to endanger national security.
— Nathan Law 羅冠聰 (@nathanlawkc) July 3, 2023
One million HKD bounty is warranted. pic.twitter.com/KV7FIogULP
This move by the Hong Kong police elicited sharp criticism from James Cleverly, the UK Foreign Secretary, who tagged it as a testament to “the authoritarian reach of China’s extraterritorial law.” In unison, the US State Department decried it as a perilous precedent threatening global human rights and fundamental freedoms.
Meanwhile, Hong Kong Chief Executive, John Lee, remained unperturbed by the international censure. He affirmed the administration’s stance, stating the accused would be “pursued for life”. He further added that their only redemption lies in their voluntary surrender. Interpol has yet to receive any red notice requests concerning the eight individuals, keeping them in a limbo of global exile.
Chinese authorities, in contrast, staunchly defended the move, claiming it as a necessary step to safeguard national security. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning vehemently protested “individual countries’ blatant denigration of Hong Kong’s national security laws and interference in the legal system.”
Ever since its inception on 30 June 2020, the national security law has ignited a global uproar, with critics alleging it is a tool of suppression. In its latest report, the UK’s Foreign Office critiqued the law’s damaging impact on Hong Kong’s way of life.
While these allegations resonate worldwide, the dissenting voices of the eight accused persist. Finn Lau, a political activist in the UK, stated that despite the risks, his advocacy for Hong Kong’s people will not cease. Similarly, Anna Kwok, now in Washington D.C., pledged to continue her fight for Hong Kong’s rule of law and freedoms, undeterred by the bounty on her head.
Amid the transnational tension, the Australian government voiced its disappointment, with Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong pledging her country’s support for those exercising the rights of expression and assembly within Australia.
These recent developments have painted a stark picture of the escalating contention over Hong Kong’s national security law, fanning concerns of its extraterritorial power, and leaving the world watching the unfolding drama with bated breath.
About Post Author
