Canada condemns Hong Kong authorities after warrants issued for overseas activists
In a joint statement, federal Foreign Minister Anita Anand and Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree say Canada will not tolerate what it describes as an attempt for Hong Kong 'to conduct transnational repression abroad.'
The statement came after Hong Kong police announced the warrants and rewards offered for 19 activists for 'suspected contravention' of its National Security Law for their roles in promoting self-determination in the Chinese special administrative region.
Some of the activists named, including Canadian Victor Ho, already face warrants stemming from an announcement from Hong Kong in December and have a HK$1 million reward for information for their arrests.
The new list of 19 people adds at least three other Canadian residents to the list with rewards of HK$200,000 offered.
Hong Kong police also says they are calling on those on the wanted list to return and turn themselves in instead of 'making more mistakes.'
In a text message to The Canadian Press, Ho says he was not surprised to hear his name on the new warrant list again, and the best policy on handling the situation is 'to keep everyday business as usual as possible.'
Ho adds he is not concerned about his personal safety and has cut off all contact with Hong Kong family members since last year, and Global Affairs Canada has reached out to find out how many people living in the country are being targeted.
In their joint statement, Anand and Anandasangaree criticize the warrants and say Canada 'stands in solidarity' with other 'international partners whose citizens and residents have also been affected by the new development,' which it calls an 'act of transnational repression.'
'The individuals targeted yesterday under the Beijing-imposed National Security Law in Hong Kong include Canadians and people with close ties to Canada,' their statement says.
'Canada reiterates its previous calls to repeal this law, which violates Hong Kong's international human rights obligations, and withdraw all related warrants and bounties.'
Back in December, Ho responded in a Facebook post to his name being on the wanted list as the 'best Christmas present.'
'A Canadian citizen like me … has the protection of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and exercised his right to the freedom of speech,' said Ho, who is the former editor-in-chief of the Sing Tao Daily newspaper.
Ho helped launched a plan in Canada to elect an unofficial 'Hong Kong parliament' in 2022, and the organizers' Facebook page says voting wrapped in June and garnered 15,702 total votes.
— with files from The Associated Press
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 26, 2025.
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