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Free Malaysia Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Hong Kong issues arrest warrants for 19 overseas activists accused of subversion
Hong Kong authorities said they are still investigating the matter, adding that further arrests may follow. (AP pic) HONG KONG : Hong Kong's national security police announced arrest warrants for 19 activists based overseas, accusing them of subversion under a stringent national security law, marking the largest such tally yet. They are accused of organising or participating in the 'Hong Kong Parliament', a group that authorities in the Asian financial hub say aimed to subvert state power under the law Beijing imposed in 2020 following months of pro-democracy protests in 2019. The activists are accused of having launched a referendum or run as candidates in the unofficial 'Hong Kong Parliament' group, which authorities say aims at achieving self-determination and drafting a 'Hong Kong constitution'. Police, who said the organisation sought to overthrow the governments of China and Hong Kong by unlawful means, said they are still investigating and further arrests may follow. Among those named are businessman Elmer Yuen, commentator Victor Ho, and activists Johnny Fok and Tony Choi. Four of them are subject to previous arrest warrants, each carrying a bounty of HK$1 million (US$127,000). Among the remaining 15, for each of whom police are offering a bounty of HK$200,000 (US$25,480), are those said to have organised or run in the election and sworn in as its councillors. None of the accused could be reached for comment. The UK's foreign and home secretaries condemned the move in a joint statement, calling the arrests 'another example of transnational repression' and saying it damages Hong Kong's international reputation. '(The UK) will not tolerate attempts by foreign governments to coerce, intimidate, harass or harm their critics overseas,' it said in a statement on Friday. In response, the Chinese embassy in the UK said the British government's remarks 'constitute a gross interference' in China's internal affairs and the rule of law in Hong Kong. 'China urges the UK to abandon its colonial mentality, stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs…stop shielding criminals,' it said. The former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with the guarantee of a high degree of autonomy, including freedom of speech, under a 'one country, two systems' formula. Critics of the national security law say authorities are using it to stifle dissent. Chinese and Hong Kong officials have repeatedly said the law was vital to restore stability after the city was rocked for months by sometimes violent anti-government and anti-China protests in 2019. Police reiterated that national security offences were serious crimes with extraterritorial reach and urged the wanted individuals to return to Hong Kong and surrender. 'If offenders voluntarily give up continuing to violate the crime, turn themselves in, truthfully confess their crimes, or provide key information that helps solve other cases, they may be eligible for reduced punishment,' they said in a statement. Police also warned that aiding, abetting, or funding others to participate in the 'Hong Kong Parliament' could be a criminal offence.
Yomiuri Shimbun
3 days ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Hong Kong Issues Arrest Warrants for 19 Overseas Activists Accused of Subversion
HONG KONG, July 25 (Reuters) – Hong Kong's national security police announced arrest warrants for 19 activists based overseas, accusing them of subversion under a stringent national security law, marking the largest such tally yet. They are accused of organising or participating in the 'Hong Kong Parliament', a group that authorities in the Asian financial hub say aimed to subvert state power, under the law Beijing imposed in 2020 following months of pro-democracy protests in 2019. The activists are accused of having launched a referendum or run as candidates in the unofficial 'Hong Kong Parliament' group, which authorities say aims at achieving self-determination and drafting a 'Hong Kong constitution'. Police, who said the organisation sought to overthrow the governments of China and Hong Kong by unlawful means, said they are still investigating and further arrests may follow. Among those named are businessman Elmer Yuen, commentator Victor Ho, and activists Johnny Fok and Tony Choi. Four of them are subject to previous arrest warrants, each carrying a bounty of HK$1 million ($127,000). Among the remaining 15, for each of whom police are offering a bounty of HK$200,000 ($25,480), are those said to have organised or run in the election and sworn in as its councillors. None of the accused could be reached for comment. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Saturday condemned the move, which he said targeted some U.S.-based individuals. 'We will not tolerate the Hong Kong government's attempts to apply its national security laws to silence or intimidate Americans or anyone on U.S. soil,' he wrote in a statement, calling it 'a form of transnational repression.' The UK's Foreign and Home Secretaries also condemned the move in a joint statement, calling the arrests 'another example of transnational repression' and saying it damages Hong Kong's international reputation. '(The UK) will not tolerate attempts by foreign governments to coerce, intimidate, harass or harm their critics overseas,' it said in a statement on Friday. In response, the Chinese embassy in the UK said the British government's remarks 'constitute a gross interference' in China's internal affairs and the rule of law in Hong Kong. 'China urges the UK to abandon its colonial mentality, stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs…stop shielding criminals,' it said. The former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with the guarantee of a high degree of autonomy, including freedom of speech, under a 'one country, two systems' formula. Critics of the national security law say authorities are using it to stifle dissent. Chinese and Hong Kong officials have repeatedly said the law was vital to restore stability after the city was rocked for months by sometimes violent anti-government and anti-China protests in 2019. Police reiterated that national security offenses were serious crimes with extraterritorial reach and urged the wanted individuals to return to Hong Kong and surrender. 'If offenders voluntarily give up continuing to violate the crime, turn themselves in, truthfully confess their crimes, or provide key information that helps solve other cases, they may be eligible for reduced punishment,' they said in a statement. Police also warned that aiding, abetting, or funding others to participate in the 'Hong Kong Parliament' could be a criminal offense. ($1=7.8488 Hong Kong dollars)
Global News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Global News
Canada condemns Hong Kong for issuing warrants to arrest some Canadians
The Canadian government released a statement Saturday condemning Hong Kong authorities who issued worldwide arrest warrants for pro-democracy activists — including 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.' Story continues below advertisement 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. 1:20 'He shouldn't be here': Anti-Trump protesters gather outside U.S. consulate in Edinburgh 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. Story continues below advertisement While the group calls itself Hong Kong Parliament, its electoral organizing committee was founded in Canada and its influence is limited. Get daily National news Get the day's top news, political, economic, and current affairs headlines, delivered to your inbox once a day. Sign up for daily National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 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. Story continues below advertisement 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. Story continues below advertisement 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
The Guardian
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Hong Kong issues arrest warrants for 19 activists based overseas
Hong Kong's national security police have issued arrest warrants for 19 activists based overseas, accusing them of subversion under a stringent national security law, marking the largest such tally yet. They are accused of organising or participating in the Hong Kong Parliament, a pro-democracy group that authorities in the Asian financial hub say intended to subvert state power, under the law Beijing imposed in 2020 after months of pro-democracy protests in 2019. The activists are accused of having launched a referendum or run as candidates in the unofficial Hong Kong Parliament group, which authorities say aims to achieve self-determination and draft a Hong Kong constitution. Police said the organisation sought to overthrow the governments of China and Hong Kong by unlawful means, and that further arrests may follow. Among those named are the businessman Elmer Yuen, the commentator Victor Ho, and the activists Johnny Fok and Tony Choi. Four of them are subject to previous arrest warrants, each carrying a reward of 1m Hong Kong dollars (£95,000). Among the remaining 15, for each of whom police are offering a reward of 200,000 Hong Kong dollars, are those said to have organised or run in the election and been sworn in as its councillors. Feng Chongyi, a China studies professor at the University of Technology Sydney who was also listed, decried the bounty against him as 'ridiculous'. 'They've got the power, they've got the influence overseas, they want to control everything even overseas,' he told the Sydney Morning Herald. The UK's foreign and home secretaries condemned the move in a joint statement, calling the arrests 'another example of transnational repression' and saying it damages Hong Kong's international reputation. '[The UK] will not tolerate attempts by foreign governments to coerce, intimidate, harass or harm their critics overseas,' they said in a statement on Friday. In response, the Chinese embassy in the UK said the British government's remarks 'constitute a gross interference' in China's internal affairs and the rule of law in Hong Kong. 'China urges the UK to abandon its colonial mentality, stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs … stop shielding criminals,' it said. Australia's foreign minister, Penny Wong, also strongly objected to the arrest warrants. 'Freedom of expression and assembly are essential to our democracy,' she said on X. 'We have consistently expressed our strong objections to China and Hong Kong on the broad and extraterritorial application of Hong Kong's national security legislation, and we will continue to do so.' The former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with the guarantee of a high degree of autonomy, including freedom of speech, under a 'one country, two systems' formula. Critics of the national security law say government are using it to stifle dissent. Chinese and Hong Kong authorities have repeatedly said the law was vital to restore stability after the city was rocked for months by sometimes violent anti-government and anti-China protests in 2019. Police reiterated that national security offences were serious crimes with extraterritorial reach and urged the wanted individuals to return to Hong Kong and surrender. 'If offenders voluntarily give up continuing to violate the crime, turn themselves in, truthfully confess their crimes, or provide key information that helps solve other cases, they may be eligible for reduced punishment,' they said in a statement. Police also said that aiding, abetting, or funding others to participate in the Hong Kong Parliament group could be a criminal offence.
Indian Express
4 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Hong Kong issues arrest warrants for 19 overseas activists accused of ‘subversion'; US reacts
The United States has criticised Hong Kong authorities for issuing arrest warrants for 19 pro-democracy activists based overseas. The move marks the largest number of such warrants issued under the city's national security law. The activists are accused of subversion for their involvement in an unofficial group known as the 'Hong Kong Parliament'. Hong Kong police allege that the group aimed to challenge the authority of the Chinese and Hong Kong governments. Several of the individuals are already subject to earlier warrants, and police say further action may follow. The 19 individuals are accused of being involved in the 'Hong Kong Parliament', an unofficial pro-democracy group that authorities claim sought to subvert state power. The group is said to have organised a mock election and promoted the idea of self-determination for Hong Kong, including plans to draft a new constitution. The Hong Kong police allege that these activities were attempts to unlawfully overthrow the government. The charges fall under the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020 following large-scale protests in 2019. Police said anyone supporting, funding or participating in the group could also face legal consequences. Among those named are businessman Elmer Yuen, political commentator Victor Ho, and activists Johnny Fok and Tony Choi. These four were already subject to previous arrest warrants, each carrying a reward of HK$1 million (approximately £95,000). The other 15 individuals are also facing new warrants, with authorities offering HK$200,000 (£19,000) for information leading to their arrests. Some of them were reportedly involved in organising or running in the unofficial election, or taking oaths as councillors of the unofficial 'parliament'. One of those listed, Feng Chongyi, a professor at the University of Technology Sydney, dismissed the allegations. 'They've got the power, they've got the influence want to control everything even overseas,' he told The Guardian. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Reuters: 'We will not tolerate the Hong Kong government's attempts to apply its national security laws to silence or intimidate Americans or anyone on US soil.' He also said the move showed how the Hong Kong government 'continues to erode the autonomy that Beijing itself promised to the people of Hong Kong following the 1997 handover'. The UK's Foreign and Home Secretaries issued a joint statement, quoted in The Guardian, calling the warrants 'another example of transnational repression' and saying they damaged Hong Kong's international standing. 'The UK will not tolerate attempts by foreign governments to coerce, intimidate, harass or harm their critics overseas,' they said. Australia strongly objects to Hong Kong authorities issuing arrest warrants for pro-democracy advocates in Australia. Freedom of expression and assembly are essential to our democracy. — Senator Penny Wong (@SenatorWong) July 26, 2025 Australia's foreign minister Penny Wong also objected, writing on X that 'freedom of expression and assembly are essential to our democracy'. She added: 'We have consistently expressed our strong objections to China and Hong Kong on the broad and extraterritorial application of Hong Kong's national security legislation, and we will continue to do so.' In response to the criticism, China's embassy in the UK said the British government was interfering in internal affairs. 'China urges the UK to abandon its colonial mentality, stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs and stop shielding criminals,' it said in a statement quoted by The Guardian. Hong Kong police reminded the public that national security offences carry extraterritorial effect. In a statement, they said those who turn themselves in or help investigations may be considered for reduced punishment. (With inputs from The Guardian and Reuters)
