6 days ago
Activist Ted Hui targeted in intimidation campaign SA Law Society says is 'deeply concerning'
Four years after fleeing Hong Kong, outspoken pro-democracy advocate Ted Hui says he continues to be the target of an intimidation campaign involving an anonymous "wanted" letter and fake pamphlets.
The South Australian Law Society has come out in support of Mr Hui, a former Hong Kong parliamentarian who is now an Adelaide-based lawyer, and said it was "deeply concerned" about the content of those documents.
The anonymous letter sent to Mr Hui's colleagues purports to be from Hong Kong authorities and offered a reward of $HK1 million, about $200,000 Australian dollars, for information leading to the arrest of Mr Hui or the whereabouts of his family.
Mr Hui posted the letter on his public social media accounts, and said it contained fictitious claims that he and his family had fled Hong Kong with the proceeds of crime.
The fake pamphlet was sent to Adelaide mosques, misrepresenting Mr Hui with false claims that he was a pro-Israel lawyer who wanted to "wage war" against "Islamic terrorism".
Mr Hui told the ABC the provocative pamphlet was "trying to stir conflict" and said the continued intimidation and harassment directed at him was "frustrating".
"I've been here in Australia over four years now, but it's never been peaceful in the past four years," he said.
"The Chinese regime's long arm has never stopped trying to harass me internationally.
The 42-year-old father fled Hong Kong while on bail for protest-related criminal charges.
He arrived first in Europe in December 2020 and, in March 2021, Mr Hui became the first Hong Kong politician to be granted a special travel exemption to enter Australia during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In 2022, he was convicted in his absence of the protest-related charges and sentenced to three-and-a-half years in jail.
He began working for an Adelaide law firm in 2023.
Earlier this year, the federal government lodged diplomatic protests with China after Mr Hui and another pro-democracy advocate, Kevin Yam, was also targeted by the apparent intimidation campaign.
In 2023, Hong Kong authorities issued arrest warrants for both men and placed a "bounty" on their heads in the amount of $HK 1 million, or about $200,000 Australian dollars.
Mr Hui said he was viewed as a "fugitive on the run" and living in exile by Chinese authorities.
"I have an arrest warrant over my head and a bounty of about $200,000 Australian, that's $HK1 million over my head," he said.
"There are public appeals everywhere … with my picture showing up, saying that 'this man is on the run, please capture this man and bring him to the Hong Kong police'."
Mr Hui said he spent his first year in Australia constantly looking over his shoulder, but said he now felt safer.
But he said he could not rule out the threat of being kidnapped and handed over to Chinese authorities.
"I will just be kidnapped and my family wouldn't know where I am."
Mr Hui said the continued harassment made him more determined.
"Over the past four years they couldn't make me shut up internationally, so they have to find some other way to make me shut up.
"It's not going to work."
He said he would use his freedom in Australia to "speak for my people back in Hong Kong".
In a statement, SA Law Society president Marissa Mackie said the society was "deeply concerned" about the claims made in the material about Mr Hui.
"No member of the legal profession, or anyone for that matter, deserves to be intimidated, harassed, surveilled, or impersonated by any other person," she said.
"The Law Society denounces these intimidation tactics used against Mr Hui."
Ms Mackie said the society "strongly supports a person's right to express their political beliefs without fear of persecution".
The comments were echoed by chair of the Law Society's Human Rights Committee, Raffaele Piccolo, who said it was important for the society to speak out because Mr Hui "shouldn't be subjected to that type of harassment".
"It's very concerning for the Law Society when one of our members, or for that matter, any person that's a member of our community appears to be targeted when they peacefully express a political opinion," he said.
"That's one of the rights that we hold dear to our hearts in Australia, is that people can express their political opinions without interruption, in a peaceful manner."
A spokesperson for Foreign Minister Penny Wong said the Australian government had raised concerns about this matter directly with Hong Kong and Chinese authorities.
"Attempts to target individuals in Australia are reprehensible and threaten our national sovereignty, as well as the safety and security of Australians," the spokesperson said.
The Chinese Embassy in Canberra has been contacted for comment.
In a previous statement to the ABC, the Hong Kong government said it would not issue anonymous letters.
"For those who have fled overseas and are suspected of having committed offences under the Hong Kong National Security Law, the law enforcement agencies of the HKSAR [Hong Kong] Government will definitely pursue them in accordance with the law and take every measure, including cutting off their funding sources, so as to prevent and suppress them from continuing to engage in acts and activities endangering national security," the statement said.
