Police in China are offering a reward of US$130,000 for information leading to the arrest of six activists.

Hong Kong authorities have put bounties on six pro-democracy activists accused of endangering national security in a recent crackdown, underscoring the shrinking space for dissent in the financial hub.

This is the third time authorities have offered a HK$1 million (US$130,000) reward for information leading to the arrest of overseas pro-democracy figures, police announced on Tuesday.

The Chinese territory’s wanted list currently includes 19 activists accused of loosely defined crimes of secession, subversion or collusion.

Hong Kong Secretary for Security Chris Tang said these activists endanger national security by lobbying for sanctions against Hong Kong officials and judges.

Newly joined activists include Chung Ka-fai, the former head of the pro-Hong Kong independence group Students Nativism, Adrian Cheng, founder of the Canadian advocacy group Hong Kong People’s Stand, and Lau Ka-wen of the Hong Kong Democracy Council.

The others are former pollster Chung Kin-wah of the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute, Canadian YouTuber Alex Ho, and Zhang Keying of the Hong Kong Freedom Committee.

“Since I fled, I have often regretted not being able to serve my people until the end,” Liu said in a post on X.

“So, as an expat and a Hong Konger, I vow to fight for Hong Kong above everything else, even above myself.”

Authorities also said they had revoked the passports of seven activists previously on wanted lists, including former Hong Kong lawmaker Hui Siu-fung.

Hong Kong was once home to fierce political opposition and one of Asia’s freest media environments, but nearly all dissent has been criminalized under a tough security law introduced in 2019 in response to massive anti-government protests.

Western governments and human rights groups have condemned the crackdown in the former British colony, while Chinese and Hong Kong officials argue the laws are necessary to restore stability after often violent demonstrations in 2019.

None of the 19 people on the wanted list are likely to be extradited to Hong Kong because they live in Western countries that have expressed concerns about the diminishing rights and freedoms in Hong Kong.

Australian lawyer Kevin Yam was accused of colluding with foreign forces in July last year and was put on a wanted list. One of the strictest border controls in the world during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I would say that every time Hong Kong tries to restart, its government takes repressive actions to undermine it,” Yam told Al Jazeera.

“And they naively believe that, in the age of the 24-hour news cycle, releasing ‘bad news’ on Christmas Eve will make things seem less bad.”