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HKFP
06-08-2025
- Politics
- HKFP
Father of activist wanted under nat. sec law pleads not guilty to attempting to handle daughter's insurance funds
The father of overseas activist Anna Kwok, who is wanted under the national security law, has pleaded not guilty to attempting to handle her funds. Kwok Yin-sang, a merchant, appeared at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Court on Wednesday afternoon. He faces a charge under Article 23, the city's homegrown security law, for allegedly attempting to deal with funds linked to an 'absconder.' His daughter, Anna Kwok, who lives in the US, is wanted by national security police for suspected foreign collusion. According to the charge sheet, Kwok Yin-sang allegedly attempted to obtain funds from an AIA International life and personal accident insurance policy that belonged to Anna Kwok between January 4 and February 27. Wearing a green T-shirt and a black mask, Kwok Yin-sang said 'not guilty' when asked by the court how he would plead. Judge Victor So set the trial to be conducted on October 8 and 9 after prosecutor Vincent Lee said he estimated it would take at least two days. Lee said he expected to summon seven prosecution witnesses. Article 23 Kwok Yin-sang is the first relative of a wanted activist to be charged with a national security offence. His daughter, Anna Kwok, is one of 34 overseas activists wanted by police under the Beijing-imposed national security law. Authorities are offering up to HK$1 million for information that could lead to their arrest. Invoking Article 23, the Hong Kong government barred anyone from dealing with her assets in the city after Secretary for Security Chris Tang declared her an 'absconder,' along with six other exiled activists, in December. Her father was denied bail after his arrest in late April and spent two and a half weeks in remand before being granted bail on several conditions, including reporting to the police every day and not contacting his daughter. His release marked the first successful bail application in a case charged under Article 23, known officially as the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance. Separate to the 2020 Beijing-enacted security law, the homegrown Safeguarding National Security Ordinance targets treason, insurrection, sabotage, external interference, sedition, theft of state secrets and espionage. It allows for pre-charge detention of up to 16 days, and suspects' access to lawyers may be restricted, with penalties involving up to life in prison. The law has been criticised by rights NGOs, Western states and the UN as vague, broad and 'regressive.' Authorities, however, cited perceived foreign interference and a constitutional duty to 'close loopholes' after the 2019 protests and unrest.
South China Morning Post
06-08-2025
- South China Morning Post
Hong Kong activist's father denies security law breach over handling finances
The father of a wanted Hong Kong activist has denied handling his daughter's financial assets in breach of the domestic national security law. Advertisement Merchant Kwok Yin-sang, the father of US-based activist Anna Kwok Fung-yee, pleaded not guilty before West Kowloon Court on Wednesday. The 68-year-old defendant is the first person to be charged with a non-sedition-based offence under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, which was enacted in accordance with a requirement under Article 23 of the Basic Law, the city's mini-constitution. He is alleged to have breached a prohibition against handling an absconder's financial assets by trying to withdraw money from a life and personal accident insurance policy with AIA International under Anna Kwok's name. The offence carries a maximum jail sentence of seven years. The defendant is the father of Anna Kwok, who is among eight activists who had HK$1 million bounties placed on their heads in 2023 for allegedly violating the Beijing-decreed 2020 national security law. Photo: Facebook/annakwokfy Senior Public Prosecutor Vincent Lee Ting-wai revealed that two insurance company employees and a police officer involved in the investigation could be called to testify in the two-day trial.
HKFP
13-06-2025
- Politics
- HKFP
Nat. security case of wanted Hong Kong activist Anna Kwok's father adjourned until August
The case of wanted Hong Kong activist Anna Kwok's father, who stands accused of attempting to handle his daughter's funds, has been adjourned until August, pending the submission of insurance documents to the police. Kwok Yin-sang, 68, appeared before Chief Magistrate Victor So at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts on Friday afternoon for a mention of his case under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance. He is the first person charged with 'attempting to deal with, directly or indirectly, any funds or other financial assets or economic resources belonging to, or owned or controlled by, a relevant absconder,' under the city's homegrown security law, also known as Article 23. He is also the first family member of a wanted activist to be prosecuted by Hong Kong authorities. The prosecution applied for an adjournment on Friday, citing that the insurance company involved in the case would need more time to prepare and submit relevant documents to the police. The defence also informed the court that they had requested witness statements from the police but had yet to receive them. The magistrate adjourned the case to August 6 and instructed both parties to keep the court informed of any updates relating to the case. Kwok Yin-sang was allowed to remain on bail under the same conditions granted by the High Court last month. Prosecutors alleged that Kwok Yin-sang had attempted earlier this year to obtain funds from an AIA International life and personal accident insurance policy, with Anna Kwok, based in the US, listed as the insured person. The Hong Kong government barred anyone from dealing with Anna Kwok's assets in the city after Secretary for Security Chris Tang declared her an 'absconder,' along with six other exiled activists, in December. The 28-year-old is among the first group of eight overseas Hong Kong activists wanted by the city's national security police. She is accused of colluding with foreign forces and requesting foreign countries to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and China. Separate from the 2020 Beijing-enacted security law, the homegrown Safeguarding National Security Ordinance targets treason, insurrection, sabotage, external interference, sedition, theft of state secrets and espionage. It allows for pre-charge detention of up to 16 days, and suspects' access to lawyers may be restricted, with penalties involving up to life in prison. Article 23 was shelved in 2003 amid mass protests, remaining taboo for years. But, on March 23, 2024, it was enacted having been fast-tracked and unanimously approved at the city's opposition-free legislature. The law has been criticised by rights NGOs, Western states and the UN as vague, broad and 'regressive.' Authorities, however, cited perceived foreign interference and a constitutional duty to 'close loopholes' after the 2019 protests and unrest.
HKFP
20-05-2025
- Politics
- HKFP
Hong Kong High Court grants bail to father of wanted activist Anna Kwok pending his nat. sec trial
Hong Kong's High Court has granted bail to the father of wanted pro-democracy activist Anna Kwok, pending his national security trial for allegedly trying to handle her financial assets. Kwok Yin-sang, 68, is the first person to be charged with 'attempting to deal with, directly or indirectly, any funds or other financial assets or economic resources belonging to, or owned or controlled by, a relevant absconder,' under Hong Kong's homegrown security law, the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, also known as Article 23. He has been detained since his arrest on April 30, alongside his 35-year-old son, the brother of Anna Kwok, who was released on police bail without being formally charged. Kwok Yin-sang was denied bail by a magistrate earlier this month on national security grounds, after which he took his application for temporary release to the High Court. High Court Judge Alex Lee on Tuesday granted him bail on condition of HK$200,000 in cash and another HK$200,000 in surety from his son, according to local media reports. The bail conditions also include surrendering travel documents, living at the reported residence, reporting to the police every day, not contacting prosecution witnesses, and not getting in touch with Anna Kwok during the bail period. This is the first known successful bail application in a case charged under Article 23. Kwok Yin-sang will next appear in court on June 13. Kwok Yin-sang is accused of attempting to obtain funds earlier this year from an AIA International life and personal accident insurance policy, with Anna Kwok, based in the US, listed as the insured person. The Hong Kong government barred anyone from dealing with Anna Kwok's assets in the city after Secretary for Security Chris Tang declared her an 'absconder,' along with six other exiled activists, in December. The 28-year-old is among the first group of eight overseas Hong Kong activists wanted by the city's national security police. She is accused of colluding with foreign forces and having requested foreign countries to impose sanctions on Hong Kong and China. Currently, 19 Hong Kong activists abroad are wanted by the national security police, with each having a HK$1 million bounty leading to their arrest. Separate to the 2020 Beijing-enacted security law, the homegrown Safeguarding National Security Ordinance targets treason, insurrection, sabotage, external interference, sedition, theft of state secrets and espionage. It allows for pre-charge detention of up to 16 days, and suspects' access to lawyers may be restricted, with penalties involving up to life in prison. The law has been criticised by rights NGOs, Western states and the UN as vague, broad and 'regressive.' Authorities, however, cited perceived foreign interference and a constitutional duty to 'close loopholes' after the 2019 protests and unrest.
South China Morning Post
20-05-2025
- South China Morning Post
Father of wanted Hong Kong activist Anna Kwok granted bail under Article 23 law
The father of a wanted Hong Kong activist has been granted bail pending a trial under the domestic national security law for allegedly handling an absconder's financial assets. The High Court on Tuesday placed merchant Kwok Yin-sang on HK$200,000 (US$25,562) bail, plus a surety of the same amount to be paid by his son. The 68-year-old defendant must also adhere to a travel ban, report to police every day and cease all communications with his daughter Anna Kwok Fung-yee, for whose arrest police have offered a HK$1 million reward The elder Kwok became the first person to be charged with an offence other than sedition under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, which was enacted in accordance with a requirement under Article 23 of the Basic Law, the city's mini-constitution. He allegedly breached a prohibition against handling an absconder's financial assets by trying to withdraw money from a life and personal accident insurance policy with AIA International under Anna Kwok's name. The offence carries a maximum jail sentence of seven years. He was remanded in custody on national security grounds after two briefing hearings at West Kowloon Court earlier this month.
