Canada condemns Hong Kong for issuing warrants to arrest some Canadians
Hong Kong police announced rewards on Friday for information leading to the arrest of 19 overseas-based activists for their roles in what they called a subversive organization abroad, accusing them of violating a national security law imposed by Beijing.
'The individuals targeted yesterday (Friday) under the Beijing-imposed National Security Law in Hong Kong include Canadians and people with close ties to Canada,' Global Affairs Canada said in the statement.
'This attempt by Hong Kong authorities to conduct transnational repression abroad, including by issuing threats, intimidation or coercion against Canadians or those in Canada, will not be tolerated.'
The statement also adds that the move by Hong Kong 'represents a deeply troubling escalation in the use of transnational repression by the People's Republic of China.'
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Hong Kong Police Force said in a statement Friday that the group, Hong Kong Parliament, aimed to promote self-determination and establish a so-called 'Hong Kong constitution,' alleging it was using illegal means to overthrow and undermine China's fundamental system or overthrow the institutions in power in the city or China.
At the request of the police, the city's court issued arrest warrants for activists Elmer Yuen, Johnny Fok, Tony Choi, Victor Ho, Keung Ka-wai and 14 others. They are alleged to have organized or participated in an election abroad for the Hong Kong Parliament, as well as setting up or becoming members of the group.
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According to a Facebook statement by the group on June 30, its election drew some 15,700 valid votes through mobile app and online voting systems. It said the candidates and elected members came from various regions, including Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, the U.S., Canada and Britain.
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While the group calls itself Hong Kong Parliament, its electoral organizing committee was founded in Canada and its influence is limited.
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Among the 19 activists, police have already offered one million Hong Kong dollars (US$127,400) for information leading to the arrest of Yuen, Ho, Fok and Choi when previous arrest warrants were issued against them. For the remaining 15 people, rewards of 200,000 Hong Kong dollars (US$25,480) were offered, urging residents to provide information about the case or the people.
'The investigation is still ongoing. If necessary, police will offer bounties to hunt down more suspects in the case,' police said.
They also called on those wanted to stop their actions while they still can, saying that they hoped the activists would 'take this opportunity to return to Hong Kong and turn themselves in, rather than making more mistakes.'
Yuen said in a Facebook live broadcast that the election was not quite successful in drawing active participation, and that the police campaign would help the group rally support for the resistance movement.
'It helps us with a lot of advertising,' Yuen said.
During the live chat with Yuen on Facebook, Sasha Gong, another person targeted by the bounties, accused Hong Kong of becoming a police state. She said she is a U.S. citizen and would report her case to the U.S. authorities and lawmakers.
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The statement from Global Affairs Canada describes how Hong Kong authorities are using digital means to infiltrate Chinese communities abroad and in Canada to spread word of the posted bounties.
'Rapid Response Mechanism Canada detected that these bounties are being amplified in an inauthentic and coordinated way, through an online network of accounts that are targeting Chinese-speaking communities,' the statement says.
'The actions taken by Hong Kong threaten the sovereignty of Canada and security of the people in this country.'
U.K. Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said in a joint statement that the warrants and bounties on people living in Britain are 'another example of transnational repression,' and that the act encourages reckless behaviour on U.K. soil.
Over the past two years, Hong Kong authorities have issued arrest warrants for various activists based overseas, including former pro-democracy lawmakers Nathan Law and Ted Hui. They also cancelled the passports of some of them under a recent security law introduced in the city last year.
The moves against overseas-based activists have drawn criticism from foreign governments, especially given that the former British colony was promised that its western-style civil liberties and semi-autonomy would be kept intact for at least 50 years when it returned to Chinese rule in 1997.
In March, the United States sanctioned six Chinese and Hong Kong officials who it alleged were involved in 'transnational repression' and acts that threaten to further erode the city's autonomy.
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But Beijing and Hong Kong insist the national security laws were necessary for the city's stability. Hong Kong police have maintained that the Beijing-imposed law applies to permanent residents in Hong Kong who violate it abroad.
In retaliation for the U.S. move, China in April said it would sanction U.S. officials, lawmakers and leaders of non-governmental organizations it says have 'performed poorly' on Hong Kong issues.
— with files from Global News' Ari Rabinovitch
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