Hong Kong offers bounties for six more democrats in security squeeze By Reuters

By James Pomfret

HONG KONG (Reuters) -Hong Kong supplied bounties of HK$1 million ($128,728) on Tuesday for six extra pro-democracy campaigners deemed to have violated nationwide safety legal guidelines, and revoked the passports of seven extra, because the Asian monetary hub retains up a safety marketing campaign.

The transfer so as to add extra names to Hong Kong’s wished listing comes as town strives to revive financial progress and refurbish its worldwide repute after a years-long crackdown on dissent that attracted international criticism.

Chris Tang, the safety secretary, accused the group, all based mostly abroad in nations resembling Britain and Canada, of the crimes of incitement to secession, subversion and collusion with international forces. 

The six included Britain-based commentator Chung Kim-wah, former head of a pro-independence group Tony Chung, Carmen Lau of the Hong Kong Democracy Council and Chloe Cheung from the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Basis.

“(I) is not going to again down solely due to an arrest warrant and a bounty,” Lau wrote on X. “And I hope to have each one in all you standing with me on this battle for Hong Kong.”

On Instagram, Cheung, 19, wrote, “Concern can’t restrain me, and suppression can’t silence me.”

China and Hong Kong authorities have defended the clampdown beneath sweeping nationwide safety legal guidelines, saying stability has been restored after mass pro-democracy protests in 2019. 

European Union international affairs spokesman Anouar El Anouni mentioned in a press release on X that the EU condemned the brand new spherical of arrest warrants towards activists in exile.

“The continued extraterritorial utility of the Nationwide Safety Regulation provides to our issues and hurts town’s attractiveness as a world enterprise hub.”

Individually, British international minister David Lammy referred to as on the Hong Kong authorities “to finish their focusing on of people within the UK and elsewhere who rise up for freedom and democracy.”

“We is not going to tolerate any makes an attempt by international Governments to coerce, intimidate, harass, or hurt their critics abroad, particularly within the UK,” he mentioned in a press release. “This Authorities is deeply dedicated to supporting all members of the Hong Kong group who’ve relocated to the UK.”

Tang mentioned the six pro-democracy campaigners had engaged in actions resembling speeches, social media posts and lobbying for Hong Kong officers and judges to be sanctioned by international governments, thus endangering nationwide safety.

In a press release, China’s workplace for safeguarding nationwide safety in Hong Kong mentioned it supported the actions, because the people had engaged in “anti-China” and destabilising acts.

Others have been deemed to have advocated independence from China for Hong Kong, a former British colony for greater than 150 years that returned to Chinese language rule in 1997.

“As an alternative of celebrating X’mas, it (Hong Kong) is taking a significant step to escalate its transnational repression marketing campaign,” wrote Anna Kwok, a U.S.-based Hong Kong activist.

The most recent additions take to 19 the tally of opposition figures on town’s wished listing, together with legal professionals Kevin Yam and Dennis Kwok, former lawmaker Ted Hui and activists Nathan Regulation and Joey Siu.

Tang mentioned Hui had HK$800,000 of his cash confiscated from an unspecified financial institution within the metropolis. Notices with black and white images of the “fugitives” have been posted in public locations, such because the worldwide airport.

Seven “absconders”, together with Hui, who at the moment are based mostly abroad, additionally had their passports revoked beneath Article 23, a brand new nationwide safety legislation adopted this yr.

“They are going to develop into somebody with out an identification,” Tang advised reporters.