Latest news with #HongKongPoliceForce
HKFP
03-05-2025
- Politics
- HKFP
Wanted activist Anna Kwok's father detained pending trial for attempting to handle financial assets of ‘absconder'
The father of self-exiled Hong Kong activist Anna Kwok has been detained pending trial for allegedly attempting to handle the financial assets of an 'absconder.' Kwok Yin-sang, 68, was brought to the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts on Friday afternoon to face one count of '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.' Chief Magistrate Victor So, a designated national security judge in Hong Kong, ordered Kwok Yin-sang to be remanded in custody pending his next court appearance on June 13. It is the first time Hong Kong authorities have charged a family member of a wanted activist under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, more commonly known as Article 23. It is also the first prosecution for the offence that is punishable by up to seven years in prison. According to the charge sheet, between January 4 and February 27, Kwok Yin-sang is said to have attempted to obtain funds from a life and personal accident insurance policy that belonged to Anna Kwok – who is wanted by Hong Kong authorities for suspected foreign collusion. The insurance company concerned was AIA International Limited. The National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force said on Friday that two men – aged 68 and 35 – were arrested in Tseung Kwan O on Wednesday on suspicion of breaching Article 23. Police said investigations revealed that the two suspects assisted Anna Kwok in changing the details of an insurance policy and attempted to withdraw its remaining value. Citing unnamed sources, local media reported that the 35-year-old man, who was released on police bail and not formally charged, was her brother. Anna Kwok, 28, is among the first group of eight overseas Hong Kong activists wanted by the city's national security police. Authorities are offering a bounty of HK$1 million for each of the democracy campaigners. The activist, who left the city in January 2020, is said to have met with overseas politicians and government officials to request the imposition of sanctions and to engage in other hostile activities against Hong Kong and China. She is accused of attending meetings and campaigns in foreign countries in her capacity as a core member of the US-based Hong Kong Democracy Council between September 2021 and February 2022. Her parents were brought in by the police for questioning in August 2023, a month after police issued an arrest warrant for their daughter. The force said at the time that they were suspected of 'assisting persons wanted by police to continue to commit acts and engage in activities that endanger national security.' After her parents were questioned by police, the activist apologised to her family on social media platform X. 'Until yesterday, my parents were questioned, harassed, and intimidated. While I feel a sense of guilt, I must also say that this was a price I had anticipated. Here, I must apologise to my family,' she wrote in Chinese. In the same month, local media reported that police questioned her brothers for investigations into whether they had any contact or financial transactions with the wanted activist. So far, police have issued warrants for and placed bounties on 19 Hong Kong activists based in the UK, US, Canada, and Australia. In December last year, Secretary for Security Chris Tang invoked his powers under the Article 23 legislation, declaring her and six other activists an 'absconder in respect of offences endangering national security.' Tang also imposed a series of orders against the seven individuals, including prohibiting them from dealing with funds in Hong Kong. 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. 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
25-04-2025
- Automotive
- HKFP
Lawmakers criticise gov't proposal to hike parking fines to HK$400, warning it will cause ‘resentment'
Hong Kong's pro-establishment lawmakers have criticised the government's proposal to increase parking fines to HK$400, warning the move will cause 'resentment' amid a shortage of car parks. The Transport and Logistics Bureau, the Transport Department, and the Hong Kong Police Force attended a meeting at the legislature on Friday for a debate on the proposal to increase tickets for traffic-related offences, including parking fines, from HK$320 to HK$400. Lo Wai-kwok, a lawmaker representing the engineering sector, said that drivers, especially those driving commercial vehicles, suffered from a severe shortage of car parks. 'I'm sorry, but I have to say that your department is the one creating the most resentment in Hong Kong. The shortage of parking spaces is so severe. How can you handle it?' Lo said in Cantonese. He did not specify which government department he was referring to. Lo said that in Kowloon City, trucks parked in front of their shops after work – which were not legal parking spots – were rarely ticketed in the past as the area was quiet. However, he suggested that the situation had changed. 'The other night, I saw a truck in front of a grocery store. It had its shutters down and was closed. Two beef jerkies!' Lo said, using the Cantonese slang for parking tickets. 'These shops might not even make enough in a day to cover the cost of the beef jerkies.' Pro-establishment lawmaker Frankie Yick said that although the number of carparks for private vehicles had increased over the past few years, there was still a severe shortage of carparks for commercial vehicles in the city. Yick said that many trucks were often ticketed when the drivers rushed to use the toilets, urging authorities to handle the fines on commercial vehicles and on private vehicles differently. In response, Liu Chun-san, undersecretary for transport and logistics, said the policy on illegal parking fines aimed to prevent traffic congestion and ensure road safety. As both private and commercial vehicles are involved in these issues, there will be no distinction in penalties for the two types of vehicles, Liu said. The authorities are actively working to increase various drop-off and parking spaces, but they encounter difficulties finding suitable spaces in urban areas, he added. According to a paper submitted to the Legislative Council's Panel on Transport last week, the city's illegal parking penalty has remained unchanged since 1994, while the Consumer Price Index has risen by more than 70 per cent.
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
U.K. neighbors offered a bounty to turn a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist in to Chinese officials
LONDON — The 'wanted' posters were sent by mail, arriving at the homes of Carmen Lau's neighbors in the town of Maidenhead. The alleged crime? Speaking out about China's rule in Hong Kong, where Lau has not lived since 2021. Provide information about Lau to the Hong Kong Police Force, urged the poster, folded into envelopes with Hong Kong stamps, or 'take her to the Chinese embassy.' The reward: 1 million Hong Kong dollars, or $130,000. The flyers that arrived in this town 7 miles from Windsor Castle are the latest threat directed at Hong Kong's pro-democracy diaspora, who have fled the city trying to escape the long arm of Chinese law, only to find that harassment can cross borders. Lau, who spoke to NBC News from outside the U.K. on Friday, said she did not 'feel safe living at my current address,' and was now weighing temporary residence options elsewhere. (NBC News is not disclosing Lau's current location for her safety.) Joshua Reynolds, Maidenhead's MP, says at least five people reported receiving the letters. 'They're unsure what to do about it, they're unsure why they received it, or what was going on,' he said in a telephone interview Friday, adding that he had called Lau about them. Reynolds showed NBC News three identical posters that included Lau's headshot and information including an address, date of birth, ethnicity, build and height. Reynolds said he knows of at least one other Hong Kong activist whose neighbors have received similar letters. 'A reward of one million Hong Kong dollars is being offered by Hong Kong Police to any member of the public, who can provide information on this wanted person and the related crime or take her to the Chinese embassy,' it reads. Those with information should contact an email address or the Hong Kong Police Force's British WhatsApp number, it says. 'The bounty is because they want to silence us and they want to instill fear among our diaspora,' said Lau, who fled Hong Kong in 2021 after the former British colony enacted a sweeping and vaguely worded national security law that gave the government more power to quash dissent. The law followed a political crackdown triggered by Hong Kong's 2019 pro-democracy protests. It threatens stringent penalties for a wide range of actions authorities call threats to national security, with the most severe — including treason and insurrection — punishable by life imprisonment. Lesser offenses, including the possession of seditious publications, could also lead to several years in jail. Lau was declared a criminal by police after she fled Hong Kong. The city's police placed the bounty on her after accusing her of violating the national security law and calling for her return. She said Hong Kong police had taken her relatives in for questioning twice this month. NBC News could not confirm her account. Calling the posters 'awful,' Reynolds said it was 'just not acceptable' if it was true the flyers had been sent from China. It was not clear who sent the posters. A spokesperson from Hong Kong's government said it would 'not issue any anonymous letter' but that it 'will definitely pursue' those who had fled the territory 'in accordance with the law' and 'take every measure' to bring them back. The Chinese Embassy in London did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment. Anonymous harassment has also been an issue within Hong Kong. In September, the Hong Kong Journalists Association said people from dozens of media outlets had received threatening messages in a 'systematic and organized' campaign, calling it the largest-scale harassment of reporters it had ever seen. This is not the first time concerns have been raised about the safety of Hong Kong democracy activists living in Britain, which took in more than 120,000 people from its former colony in response to the national security law. Last May, British authorities charged three men, including the office manager of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London, with surveilling and gathering intelligence against Hong Kong democracy activists. Later that month, one of the men, Matthew Trickett, was found dead in a park, also in Maidenhead. Two other men, Chung Biu Yuen and Chi Leung Peter Wai, will go on trial next month. They deny the charges, which include breaking into a residence. Chinese officials have called the charges 'groundless and slanderous.' Reynolds, Maidenhead's MP, said residents in the town were 'concerned that this looks like the Chinese are trying to interfere in the U.K., and that they don't want to be frightened by what's happening.' He added that police had told him they were making sure Lau 'gets the protection and security she requires.' Thames Valley Police did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment. Reynolds, a member of the opposition Liberal Democrats party, said he was 'concerned' by the British government's approach toward China. The Labour Party, which is currently in power, has been accused of complacency toward Beijing after ministers signaled their support for China's proposed plan to build a 'mega embassy' in London. The plan has also been criticized by U.S. lawmakers, Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., and Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., both of whom serve on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. In an open letter Wednesday, they said a Chinese Embassy of that scale would 'only embolden its efforts to intimidate and harass UK citizens and dissidents and experts across Europe.' A British government spokesperson said in an emailed statement Friday that 'attempts by foreign governments to coerce, intimidate, harass, or harm their critics overseas, undermining democracy and the rule of law, are unacceptable,' adding that they would 'encourage anyone to report concerns to the police.' Britain's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the criticism of the Chinese Embassy plans. Lau said she had not been contacted by Britain's Home Office, the government department responsible for immigration and security, or the Foreign Office. 'I will just continue my work because if I back down or if I really silence myself, that's what they want,' she added. This article was originally published on
NBC News
01-03-2025
- Politics
- NBC News
U.K. neighbors offered a bounty to turn a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist in to Chinese officials
LONDON — The 'wanted' posters were sent by mail, arriving at the homes of Carmen Lau's neighbors in the town of Maidenhead. The alleged crime? Speaking out about China's rule in Hong Kong, where Lau has not lived since 2021. Provide information about Lau to the Hong Kong Police Force, urged the poster, folded into envelopes with Hong Kong stamps, or 'take her to the Chinese embassy.' The reward: 1 million Hong Kong dollars, or $130,000. The flyers that arrived in this town 7 miles from Windsor Castle arethe latest threat directed at Hong Kong's pro-democracy diaspora, who have fled the city trying to escape the long arm of Chinese law, only to find that harassment can cross borders. Lau, who spoke to NBC News from outside the U.K. on Friday, said she did not 'feel safe living at my current address,' and was now weighing temporary residence options elsewhere. (NBC News is not disclosing Lau's current location for her safety.) Joshua Reynolds, Maidenhead's MP, says at least five people reported receiving the letters. 'They're unsure what to do about it, they're unsure why they received it, or what was going on,' he said in a telephone interview Friday, adding that he had called Lau about them. Reynolds showed NBC News three identical posters that included Lau's headshot and information including an address, date of birth, ethnicity, build and height. Reynolds said he knows of at least one other Hong Kong activist whose neighbors have received similar letters. 'A reward of one million Hong Kong dollars is being offered by Hong Kong Police to any member of the public, who can provide information on this wanted person and the related crime or take her to the Chinese embassy,' it reads. Those with information should contact an email address or the Hong Kong Police Force's British WhatsApp number, it says. 'The bounty is because they want to silence us and they want to instill fear among our diaspora,' said Lau, who fled Hong Kong in 2021 after the former British colony enacted a sweeping and vaguely worded national security law that gave the government more power to quash dissent. The law followed a political crackdown triggered by Hong Kong's 2019 pro-democracy protests. It threatens stringent penalties for a wide range of actions authorities call threats to national security, with the most severe — including treason and insurrection — punishable by life imprisonment. Lesser offenses, including the possession of seditious publications, could also lead to several years in jail. Lau was declared a criminal by police after she fled Hong Kong. The city's police placed the bounty on her after accusing her of violating the national security law and calling for her return. She said Hong Kong police had taken her relatives in for questioning twice this month. NBC News could not confirm her account. Calling the posters 'awful,' Reynolds said it was 'just not acceptable' if it was true the flyers had been sent from China. It was not clear who sent the posters. A spokesperson from Hong Kong's government said it would 'not issue any anonymous letter' but that it 'will definitely pursue' those who had fled the territory 'in accordance with the law' and 'take every measure' to bring them back. The Chinese Embassy in London did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment. Anonymous harassment has also been an issue within Hong Kong. In September, the Hong Kong Journalists Association said people from dozens of media outlets had received threatening messages in a 'systematic and organized' campaign, calling it the largest-scale harassment of reporters it had ever seen. This is not the first time concerns have been raised about the safety of Hong Kong democracy activists living in Britain, which took in more than 120,000 people from its former colony in response to the national security law. Last May, British authorities charged three men, including the office manager of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London, with surveilling and gathering intelligence against Hong Kong democracy activists. Later that month, one of the men, Matthew Trickett, was found dead in a park, also in Maidenhead. Two other men, Chung Biu Yuen and Chi Leung Peter Wai, will go on trial next month. They deny the charges, which include breaking into a residence. Chinese officials have called the charges 'groundless and slanderous.' Reynolds, Maidenhead's MP, said residents in the town were 'concerned that this looks like the Chinese are trying to interfere in the U.K., and that they don't want to be frightened by what's happening.' He added that police had told him they were making sure Lau 'gets the protection and security she requires.' Thames Valley Police did not immediately respond to NBC News' request for comment. Reynolds, a member of the opposition Liberal Democrats party, said he was 'concerned' by the British government's approach toward China. The Labour Party, which is currently in power, has been accused of complacency toward Beijing after ministers signaled their support for China's proposed plan to build a 'mega embassy' in London. The plan has also been criticized by U.S. lawmakers, Rep. John Moolenaar, R-Mich., and Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., both of whom serve on the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party. In an open letter Wednesday, they said a Chinese Embassy of that scale would 'only embolden its efforts to intimidate and harass UK citizens and dissidents and experts across Europe.' A British government spokesperson said in an emailed statement Friday that 'attempts by foreign governments to coerce, intimidate, harass, or harm their critics overseas, undermining democracy and the rule of law, are unacceptable,' adding that they would 'encourage anyone to report concerns to the police.' Britain's foreign ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment about the criticism of the Chinese Embassy plans. Lau said she had not been contacted by Britain's Home Office, the government department responsible for immigration and security, or the Foreign Office. 'I will just continue my work because if I back down or if I really silence myself, that's what they want,' she added.
