Hong Kong Watch condemns targeting of overseas activists through further bounties and cancelled passports
Today, Hong Kong Secretary for Security Chris Tang issued more arrest warrants with HK$1 million (£102,700) bounties for six exiled Hong Kongers who now peacefully advocate for democracy in the UK and Canada. The full list includes Carmen Lau, Chloe Cheung, Tony Chung, Chung Kim-wah, Victor Ho Leung-mau and Joe Tay.
Carmen Lau, 29, is the Senior Advocacy Associate for the Hong Kong Democracy Council, based in London. Ms Lau has been accused of “incitement to succession” and “collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security”. Chloe Chueng is only 19 and the Communications and Media Assistant for the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation, also based in London.
Tony Chung, 23, fled to the UK last December after serving nearly four years in prison over a national security offence. Mr Chung is the former convenor of the now-defunct pro-independence group Studentlocalism. Chung Kim-wah, 64, is a former pollster at the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute, also based in the UK.
Joseph Tay, 62, is a former TVB actor and co-founded the ‘NGO HongKonger Station’ which provides “uncensored information”, based in Canada. Victor Ho, 69, is a YouTuber and also based in Canada.
The Chief Superintendent of the Hong Kong National Security Department, Steve Li Kwai-wah, said: “These six people’s backgrounds are the same. They have absconded from Hong Kong, but still flagrantly established or joined some organisations to continue their action to threaten national security.”
The six arrest warrants are accompanied by the cancellation of the passports of seven activists who were issued bounties in 2023: Ted Hui (Australia), Anna Kwok (US), Elmer Yuen (US), Dennis Kwok (US), Kevin Yam (Australia), Frances Hui (US) and Joey Siu (US). This includes Hong Kong Watch Advisor Ted Hui and former Hong Kong Watch Policy Advisor Joey Siu. The cancellation of their passports was invoked under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance and follows similar orders in June this year cancelling the passports of six others who were issued bounties in 2023.
This means that all 13 of those issued bounties in July and December 2023 have had their passports cancelled, and there are now a total of 19 exiled Hong Kongers with arrest warrants and bounties around the world.
Carmen Lau, Senior Advocacy Associate for the Hong Kong Democracy Council who was issued a bounty today, said:
“I have always considered serving Hong Kongers and fighting for our freedom and democracy my lifelong obligation since the day I was elected as a district councillor. Since I fled, I have often regretted not being able to serve my people until the end. Therefore, 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.”
Joey Siu, an independent Hong Kong activist who had her passport cancelled today, said:
“On Christmas Eve, Hong Kong authorities announced the cancellation of my HKSAR passport and those of six other exiles, citing the Article 23... I separately hold a U.S. passport, so the impact of this cancellation on me is minimal. However, it is detrimental to many of my fellow exiled advocates from Hong Kong who are not as privileged.
As an American who is continuously targeted by Hong Kong authorities, first under the National Security Law, then ongoing transnational repression, and now with Article 23, I believe that the federal government’s response has been insufficient. Unnamed visa restrictions are not enough. Targeted sanctions under the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019 should be imposed immediately.”
Lord Patten of Barnes, the last Governor of Hong Kong and Patron of Hong Kong Watch, said:
“The Hong Kong government’s relentless pursuit of pro-democracy activists beyond its borders is a blatant overreach that disregards international norms. Both the National Security Law and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance hold no legitimate authority outside Hong Kong and should not leak into democracies considered safe haven for hundreds of thousands of Hong Kongers.
The UK, US, Canadian and Australian governments must act decisively and in concert to shield these activists from transnational repression, ensuring their safety and standing firm against Beijing’s attempts to undermine the very democratic values we hold dear.”
Megan Khoo, Policy Director of Hong Kong Watch, said:
“Hong Kong Watch unequivocally condemns the issuance of bounties and cancellation of passports targeting our friends and colleagues in exile. These acts are clear attempts of transnational repression, designed to silence dissent and extend the reach of authoritarian control beyond Hong Kong’s borders. We must not allow them to succeed.
We call on the US, UK, Canadian and Australian governments to urgently respond by imposing targeted sanctions on the Hong Kong officials responsible and by strengthening measures to counter such extraterritorial intimidation. It is imperative that collective action is taken to protect the rights and freedoms of Hong Kongers in exile, who continue to be politically persecuted by the Hong Kong authorities for activities that are peaceful and acceptable under international law.”
香港監察譴責港府再懸紅通緝6名海外港人及撤銷護照 促請國際政府制裁港官 打擊跨國鎮壓
今天，香港保安局局長鄧炳強懸紅100萬港元（102,700英鎊）通緝六名目前身處英國和加拿大的流亡港人，他們在兩地和平倡議民主。六人包括劉珈汶、張晞晴、鍾翰林、鍾劍華、何良懋和鄭敬基。
港府在公布通緝名單的同時，亦宣布撤銷七名2023年被警方國安處懸紅通緝的社運人士護照：許智峯（澳洲）、郭鳳儀（美國）、袁弓夷（美國）、郭榮鏗（美國）、任建峰（澳洲）、許穎婷（美國）和邵嵐（美國）。其中許智峯現為香港監察顧問，而邵嵐為前香港監察政策顧問。港府今次動用《維護國家安全條例》撤銷六人護照，與今年6月向另外六名2023年被懸紅通緝人士撤銷護照做法相似。
這意味着分別在2023年7月和12月被通緝的13名港人護照已全部被撤銷，而目前全球共有19名流亡港人被懸紅通緝。
最後一任香港總督、香港監察贊助人彭定康勳爵（Lord Patten of Barnes）表示：
「香港政府對境外民主活動人士窮追猛打是公然的越權行為，無視國際準則。《國家安全法》和《維護國家安全條例》在香港境外地區毫無合法權威，不應滲入被視為萬千港人安全港的民主國家。
英國、美國、加拿大和澳洲政府必須果斷採取一致行動，保護這些社運人士免受跨國鎮壓，確保他們的安全，並強硬抗衡北京企圖破壞我們所珍視的民主價值。」
香港監察政策總監Megan Khoo表示：
「香港監察明確譴責港府懸紅通緝我們流亡海外的朋友和同伴，以及撤銷他們的護照。這些顯然是跨國鎮壓的行為，旨在消除異見並將威權魔爪的箝制範圍擴大到香港境外。我們絕不能讓他們得逞。
我們呼籲美國、英國、加拿大和澳洲政府緊急回應，向涉事香港官員施行點名制裁，並加強措施打擊這種境外恐嚇行為。當務之急是採取集體行動，保護流亡港人的權利和自由，他們持續因展開國際法所容許的和平活動而受到香港當局政治迫害。」