Arrest Warrants Issued for 19-Year-Old Activist, Five Others in Hong Kong Crackdown
Hong Kong has issued arrest warrants and placed 1 million Hong Kong dollars bounties on six pro-democracy campaigners, including a 19-year-old activist living in the UK. These individuals are accused of violating national security laws, which were implemented in 2020 after the pro-democracy protests. In addition, seven others have had their Hong Kong passports revoked as the government intensifies its crackdown on those it deems a threat to national security. The total number of exiled Hong Kongers with arrest warrants and bounties now stands at 19.
Chloe Cheung, a 19-year-old activist, was among those named in the latest crackdown. Cheung, who fled Hong Kong in 2020 after being involved in protests, expressed her surprise and defiance after learning about the bounty placed on her. She described her experiences with Hong Kong’s police, including facing tear gas, batons, and bullets. Despite threats to her safety, Cheung vowed to continue speaking out, calling on the UK government to take more action to protect Hong Kong activists from transnational repression.
The Hong Kong authorities accuse the campaigners of inciting secession, subversion, and collusion with foreign forces. Their activities reportedly included publishing articles, giving speeches, and lobbying foreign governments to impose sanctions on Hong Kong officials, which the authorities argue endangered national security. The security secretary, Chris Tang, confirmed that these individuals had fled Hong Kong but continued to engage in activities that the government claims destabilize China.
This move comes a month after the sentencing of 45 activists in Hong Kong for conspiracy to commit subversion, marking a significant escalation in the government’s efforts to stifle dissent. The latest actions against the six individuals, including those in the UK, Canada, and Australia, have drawn criticism from human rights groups. Megan Khoo, from the UK-based Hong Kong Watch, condemned the actions as part of a broader strategy of transnational repression, calling for stronger responses from Western governments to protect activists and hold Hong Kong officials accountable.
