Latest news with #NationalSecurityDepartment
HKFP
3 days ago
- Politics
- HKFP
Hong Kong nat sec. police question 2 other relatives of wanted activist Joe Tay
Hong Kong national security police have brought in two other relatives of wanted activist Joe Tay for questioning – the second such occasion this month. Tay's cousin and her husband were brought to Tsing Yi Police Station for questioning on Thursday, local media reported. HKFP saw a man and a woman, both wearing caps and face masks, leave the police station in two private vehicles at around 11 am. In response to HKFP enquiries, police said its National Security Department interviewed two individuals on Thursday to 'assist in an investigation.' The case is still under investigation, and no arrests have been made so far, the force also said, without giving any details. Tay's other cousin and his wife were brought in by the police for questioning earlier this month. Tay, 62, currently based in Canada, is one of six overseas activists for whom police issued arrest warrants in December. He left Hong Kong in June 2020. Each wanted person has a HK$1 million bounty on their head for alleged national security violations. Tay is accused of incitement to secession and collusion with foreign forces. He allegedly operated a channel called 'HongKonger Station' between June 2020 and June 2024, where he published numerous videos to incite secession and called on foreign countries to impose sanctions on China and Hong Kong. Apart from Tay, 18 other overseas activists are wanted by the Hong Kong authorities, including former lawmakers Ted Hui and Dennis Kwok, and former student leader Nathan Law. Police have brought in a number of the activists' family members for questioning, including the parents of US-based activist Frances Hui. In early May, police charged Anna Kwok's father, Kwok Yin-sang, with attempting to handle financial assets of an 'absconder.' He is the first family member of a wanted activist to be charged under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, more commonly known as Article 23. The 68-year-old stands accused of breaching the domestic security law by attempting 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. He was granted bail by the High Court last week after being denied bail at a lower court. 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.
Ya Biladi
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
Morocco becomes second-largest source of irregular migrants to Spain in 2024
Data from Spain's 2024 National Security Report reveals that over 13,000 irregular migrants departed from Moroccan shores en route to Spain, making Morocco the second-largest departure point after Mauritania, which recorded more than 25,000 departures that same year. The report, published by the National Security Department under the Spanish Prime Minister's Office, confirms a growing migratory pressure on Spanish coastlines, with a record 61,372 sea arrivals in 2024—an increase of 10.3% compared to 2023. In addition to Morocco and Mauritania, Algeria recorded 12,038 migrant departures, while thousands more departed from sub-Saharan African countries, notably Senegal (8,970), The Gambia (1,943), and Guinea-Bissau (250). According to the report, the Canary Islands received the highest number of arrivals, with 46,843 migrants—up 17.4% from the previous year—while the Balearic Islands saw a sharp rise of 158.3%. While the traditional migration route from Morocco and Algeria followed the «Western Mediterranean route», the Atlantic route to the Canary Islands saw an 18% increase in traffic, in contrast to a 6% decline along the Western Mediterranean route. This shift is attributed to stricter controls in Libya and Tunisia, which have redirected migration flows toward Mauritania, Senegal, and Morocco—significantly increasing pressure on these countries. The report underscores that Morocco, Mauritania, Algeria, and Senegal are now facing mounting challenges due to this shift.
Epoch Times
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Former District Councilor Arrested by National Security Police Booted From Stage Play by Government
Chan Kim-kam, a former Tsuen Wan district councilor who was arrested last year by Hong Kong police's National Security Department, She said authorities warned that the venue would not be rented out unless she was removed from the cast. Chan also revealed that the school where she had been teaching terminated her employment after receiving a complaint letter. Chan was arrested ahead of June 4, 2024, under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, commonly known as Article 23, and was subsequently released on bail. The National Security Bureau accused her and others of posting anonymously on a social media page, using the 'upcoming sensitive day,' meaning the anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre on June 4, 1989, to incite netizens to organize or participate in illegal activities. In her May 18 post, Chan Kim-kam said government authorities reviewed the cast list for the upcoming stage performance, which was set to premiere in two weeks in a public venue. The theater group was told to replace a specific actor—referring to Chan—or risk having their previously approved venue booking revoked. She also said that a teaching job she had already started was abruptly terminated after the school received an anonymous complaint letter written in simplified Chinese. The dismissal was carried out without any appeals process or proper procedure, effectively ending her employment, according to Chan. Related Stories 5/6/2025 5/6/2025 The Leisure and Cultural Services Department, which is responsible for handling the rental of government venues, told Ming Pao newspaper that it manages all venue booking matters in accordance with existing booking procedures and rental terms and would not comment on individual bookings. Chan also wrote in her post that if these two incidents are dismissed by those in power as mere 'isolated cases,' the vulnerable individuals involved would be left to face unreasonable suppression alone and ultimately disappear from public view. She wrote that everyone labeled as 'sensitive' is being censored, rejected, isolated, pressured to leave, and made invisible. As a result, they are unable to pursue their passions or build a life—often struggle even to find work, which affects their very survival. She said, 'My voice may be weak and carry little weight, but I will not stay silent.' Other Venue Bookings Cancelled Other pro-democracy figures have also been denied access to rental venues for performances in Hong Kong. In January, what was supposed to be the 20th anniversary concert of singer-songwriter Pong Nan, originally scheduled to be held in the West Kowloon Cultural District, had its booking cancelled at the last minute. Nan had previously criticized artists who supported the Hong Kong government's crackdown during the 2019 democracy movement. Both the band Per Se and the Hong Kong Festival Orchestra were also originally scheduled to hold a concert at the Hong Kong City Hall in January, but received a notice from the City Hall that the hall needed to close for inspections and repairs, and the performance was eventually cancelled. A pro-communist website had published an article before the performance claiming that the orchestra belonged to the 'yellow camp,' meaning a group supporting the democratic movement, according to Ming Pao. The founder of the Hong Kong Festival Orchestra, Sean Li, has also been subjected to repeated accusations from pro-Beijing groups that he was the conductor and English lyricist of a version of the banned protest song 'Glory to Hong Kong,' reported the news outlet.
Epoch Times
10-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
Relatives of Tory Candidate and Activist Joe Tay Taken for Questioning by Hong Kong Police, Local Media Say
Relatives of Conservative candidate and Hong Kong democracy activist Joe Tay were reportedly taken in for questioning by Hong Kong national security police, according to local media. The National Security Department took both Tay's cousin and the cousin's wife from their home in the Fo Tan area of Hong Kong to a police station on the morning of May 8 to assist with an investigation, Tay, a Canadian citizen who ran as a Tory candidate in the federal election, is one of several outspoken pro-democracy activists targeted by Hong Kong authorities. International bounties have been issued for Tay and several other activists. 'Sources say that [Tay's] cousin and cousin's wife were taken to the police station from their residence in Fo Tan this morning to assist with the investigation,' reads the three-paragraph news report. 'It is expected that the investigation will be completed as early as noon.' Hong Kong authorities issued a warrant and offered a HK$1 million bounty (nearly CA$180,000) for Tay's arrest in December 2024. Hong Kong officials have The Epoch Times sought comment from Tay but didn't hear back by publication time. Related Stories 3/28/2025 4/21/2025 The news comes a few days after the Hong Kong Watch also expressed concern about reports involving Tay's relatives. 'The Hong Kong government is intensifying its campaign of Transnational Repression,' wrote the group in a May 8 social media Tay's situation drew national attention during Canada's election campaign after it was Chiang later issued an apology, calling his comments a 'complete lapse of judgment,' and promising to 'continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Hong Kong in their fight to safeguard their human rights and freedoms.' Tay, who was later moved to run in the Don Valley North riding, said that 'no apology is sufficient,' and that the situation left him fearing for his safety. He added he had previously contacted the RCMP about his personal protection. 'Threats like these are the tradecraft of the Chinese Communist Party to interfere in Canada,' he said in a March 31 Chiang Chiang's comments about Tay are currently Tay's case made the headlines again in late April, a few days before the federal election, when Canada's elections security task force The operation involved the 'inauthentic and coordinated' amplification of content related to Tay's arrest warrant and bounty, as well as content related to his ability to run for elected office, the security task force said. It was conducted on social media platforms widely used by Chinese-language speakers in Canada, such as WeChat, TikTok, RedNote, and Douyin. Tay lost to Liberal candidate Maggie Chi, a Toronto public servant, by nearly 5,000 votes in the April 28 election. No evidence has been put forward to suggest his defeat was linked to interference by the Chinese regime. Noé Chartier contributed to this report.
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.
