Hong Kong offers rewards for arrest of 2 Canadians, 4 other activists
Global News
According to the warrants, the six are wanted for national security offences such as secession, subversion and collusion with foreign forces.
Hong Kong police on Tuesday announced a fresh round of arrest warrants for six activists based overseas, with bounties set at $1 million Hong Kong dollars for information leading to their arrests.
According to the warrants, the six are wanted for national security offences such as secession, subversion and collusion with foreign forces. They include Tony Chung, the former leader of now-defunct pro-independence group Studentlocalism.
U.K.-based Carmen Lau, a former district councilor and current activist with the Hong Kong Democracy Council, as well as Chloe Cheung, an activist with the Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong, also had warrants issued against them.
The latest round of warrants signals that the Hong Kong government is targeting vocal critics based abroad.
The government had previously issued two rounds of arrest warrants and bounties for more prominent activists, including ex-lawmakers Ted Hui and Nathan Law.
The increasing number of wanted individuals abroad come as Hong Kong continues to crack down on political dissent following massive anti-government protests in 2019 that resulted in a wave of pro-democracy movements. Many outspoken pro-democracy activists have since been jailed, with others fleeing abroad.
Chung, the former Studentlocalism leader, said in a story posted to Instagram that he was “honored” to be the first Hong Konger to be accused of violating the national security law twice.
“As a staunch Hong Kong nationalist, today’s wanted notice is undoubtedly a kind of affirmation for me. In the future, I will continue to unswervingly and fearlessly promote the self-determination of Hong Kong,” he wrote.