HONG KONG (AP) — Hong Kong's leader on Tuesday said the eight overseas-based activists who were wanted for alleged national security offenses would be pursued for life, dismissing criticism from Western governments over the police's high-profile crackdown on the pro-democracy figures.
Chief Executive John Lee expressed his support for the police's efforts in arresting the activists who are now based in the U.S., Britain, Canada, and Australia. At his weekly press briefing, Lee said anyone, including their friends and relatives, who offered information leading to their arrests would be eligible for the bounties offered by the police.
“The only way to end their destiny of being an abscondee who will be pursued for life is to surrender,” he said.
Lee's comments were targeting former pro-democracy lawmakers Nathan Law, Ted Hui and Dennis Kwok, lawyer Kevin Yam, unionist Mung Siu-tat and activists Finn Lau, Anna Kwok and Elmer Yuen. They were accused of breaching the Beijing-imposed national security law by committing offenses such as collusion and inciting secession.
For the first time since the tough law was enacted in June 2020, police on Monday offered 1 million Hong Kong dollars ($127,600) for information leading to each arrest of the eight.
The move has quickly drawn ire from the U.S. and British governments, which took issue with the extraterritorial application of the security law. The U.S., in particular, said such an application of the security law was a dangerous precedent that threatened human rights. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong also tweeted that her country was “deeply concerned” by reports of Hong Kong authorities issuing arrest warrants for democracy advocates.
But Lee insisted extraterritorial power exists in the national security laws of many other countries. He said how overseas officials and politicians commented on the government’s moves will not change his administration’s strong belief in safeguarding national security.
“I'm not afraid of any political pressure that is put on us because we do what we believe is right," he said.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry’s office in Hong Kong also voiced opposition against the criticism from the U.S. and Britain, warning “foreign interference forces” to stop shielding “criminals” immediately.
But the further crackdown did not stop these overseas activists from speaking up.
Law, who is accused of foreign collusion and inciting secession, said on his Facebook the latest development signaled he was again being targeted by China's ruling Communist Party and that he felt the “invisible pressure.” However, he refused to surrender.
“All I did was reasonable, justifiable and peaceful advocacy work,” the British-based activist said.
Unionist Mung also pledged in a statement that he would not cease advocacy work for Hong Kong labour rights abroad.
“If I were ever found guilty, my only ‘crime’ would be speaking the truth for my fellow Hong Kongers,” he said.
Hong Kong, a former British colony that returned to Chinese rule in 1997, has come under increasingly tight scrutiny by Beijing following months of social arrest in 2019. Authorities have cracked down on dissent with over 260 people, including many pro-democracy figures, arrested under the harsh security law.
Police on Monday acknowledged they will not be able to arrest the eight if they remain overseas.
Eunice Yung, a pro-Beijing lawmaker, who is the daughter-in-law of Yuen, supported the police's move on her Facebook page, reiterating she had already cut ties with Yuen in last August.
“All his acts have nothing to do with me,” she said.
