Hong Kong police announce arrest warrants, bounties for 5 overseas activists

Dec. 14 (UPI) -- Hong Kong police on Friday announced arrest warrants and bounties for five more overseas pro-democracy activists charged under its controversial national security law, attracting renewed condemnation from the West and human rights organizations.

The bounties of about $128,000 were offered by officials of the National Security Department during a press conference for information on activists Simon Cheng, 33, Tony Choi, 46, Johnny Fok, 42, and 24-year-olds Joey Siu and Frances Hui.

"All of them who have already fled overseas have continued to commit an offense under the national security law that seriously endanger the national security," Chief Superintendent Steven Li of the police force's National Security Department said during the press conference, stating that the amount of money offered is proof of the "great important which the police attach to the case."

Under the National Security Law, those convicted of committing vague and widely defined acts of secession, subversion, terrorism and working with foreign agencies to undermine the national security of China are punished with stiff penalties, and it was imposed on the city-state in June of 2020 in the wake of a year of mass pro-democracy protests.

The law was swiftly met with widespread condemnation for the United States, Britain and other nations as well as critics and human rights organization for eroding the freedoms the city once enjoyed, and squelching political opposition. It forced many pro-democracy activists and politicians to flee overseas for fear of prosecution.

A statement from the police says Cheng has been accused of incitement to secession and collusion, Hui and Siu were both charged with collusion for calling on nations to sanction China, Fok was charged with incitement to secession and incitement to subversion as was Choi.

Siu, a U.S. citizen born in North Carolina, works for the World Liberty Congress in Washington, D.C., said she woke up Thursday morning in the United States to the news she was wanted in Hong Kong "for expressing my freedoms in my own country.

"I will never be silenced, I will never back down," she said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

She is the first U.S. citizen to be targeted by Hong Kong authorities in this manner, according to U.S. Rep. Hong Curtis, R-Utah.

"Freedom of speech is not only enshrined in our Constitution but a universal human right. We must protect it from the [Chinese Communist Party]'s attempts to diminish it," Curtis said in a statement.

Hui, policy and advocacy coordinator for The Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation in Washington, D.C., where she has sought asylum, said she also found out that she was wanted by her former home government on awaking Thursday morning.

"I call on the international community particularly the U.S., U.K. and Australia where the bountied individuals are residing, to fight against the CCP's transnational repression, interference and international human rights abuses," she said in a statement.

This is the second time Hong Kong police have issued arrest warrants and bounties for activists overseas. In July, eight self-exiled activists were put on its list of those wanted by the National Security Department, which with Friday's announcement, grows to 13.

"We deplore any attempt to apply the Beijing-imposed national security law extraterritorially and reiterate that Hong Kong authorities have no jurisdiction within United States borders, where the advocates for democracy and freedom will continue to enjoy their constitutionally guaranteed freedoms and rights," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said to reporters during a press briefing in Washington.

"And we deplore any attempt to apply the national security law extraterritorially and will remain committed to defending the rights and freedoms of our citizens and call on the PRC to act in accordance with its international commitments and legal obligations."

The People's Republic of China is China's official name.

Britain, Hong Kong's former colonizer, called on Beijing in a statement Thursday to repeal its National Security Law and "end its persecution of political activists."

"We will not tolerate any attempt by any foreign power to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK. This is a threat to our democracy and fundamental human rights," Foreign Secretary David Cameron said.

The announcement by the Hong Kong police came a day authorities arrested four people, two men and two women between the ages of 29 and 68, under the National Security Law on accusations of providing financial assistance to Nathan Law and Ted Hui, who were among the initial eight people on the national security wanted list.

In a statement, police said Friday that the four suspects provided money ranging from about $1,280 to $15,300 through an online crowdfunding platform "for the commission of secession."

The four suspects were not named and are being questioned, authorities said.

"The Hong Kong government has no business targeting pro-democracy activists who have lawfully left Hong Kong to escape the oppression of the Chinese Communist Party, which clearly has no real sense of the meaning of national security," Benedict Rogers, co-founder and chief executive of the Britain-based Hong Kong Watch non-governmental organization, said in a statement.

"We urge the U.K., U.S. and Australian governments to take immediate action to ensure appropriate protection for the five pro-democracy activists as well as the previous eight."