Politics

Hong Kong Issues Bounty for Self-Exiled Activists

JUL 4 2023·Updated JUL 5 2023

Story

Image credit: Unsplash

The Facts

On Monday, Hong Kong police issued arrest warrants and a cash bounty of HK$1M ($128K) each for information leading to the arrest of eight pro-democracy activists living in exile.
France 24
Besides warning the public against financially supporting the activists, which include former lawmakers Ted Hui and Dennis Kwok, the police also ordered the freezing of their assets.
The Japan Times
The political activists allegedly “committed serious crimes endangering national security, advocated sanctions, undermined Hong Kong, and intimidated Hong Kong officials.”
Al Jazeera
Furthermore, the eight have been accused of violating the country’s National Security Law by colluding and scheming with “foreign countries to undermine Hong Kong’s financial status.”
Hong Kong Free Press HKFP
The self-exiled activists are reportedly based in the US, Canada, the UK, and Australia — countries that have halted participation in extradition treaties with Hong Kong because of the National Security Law.
CNN
Under Hong Kong’s National Security Law, passed after widespread anti-Beijing protests took place in 2019, hundreds of pro-democracy campaigners and civil society leaders have been arrested or gone into exile.
NPR

Sources Split

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The Spin

Anti-China narrative

Hong Kong is blatantly threatening the fundamental rights of its citizens by curbing their freedom of expression and assembly. The National Security Law is used to crush any opposition to the PRC-aligned establishment and silence free media. The democratic nations of the world must protect Hong Kong's pro-democracy figures living in exile.

VOA

Pro-China narrative

It's natural for the West to criticize the Hong Kong police's actions as the US and the UK, among others, are sheltering the traitors. However, the PRC will not allow any interference in Hong Kong's rule of law or tolerate any attempts to incite anti-Beijing sentiments that endanger its national security.

XINHUA