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Hong Kong police on Tuesday announced a new round of arrest warrants for six activists living abroad – including two Canadian citizens – with rewards set at $185,000 for information leading to their arrest.
According to warrants, the six are wanted for national security offenses such as secession, subversion and collusion with foreign powers. Among them is Tony Chung, former leader of the now-defunct pro-independence group Studentlocalism.
UK-based Carmen Lau, a former district councilor and current Hong Kong Democracy Council activist, as well as Chloe Cheung, an activist with the Hong Kong Freedom Committee, also had warrants issued against them.
The latest round of warrants signals that the Hong Kong government has targeted vocal critics abroad.
The government previously issued two rounds of arrest warrants and rewards for more prominent activists, including former MPs Ted Hui and Nathan Law.
The growing number of wanted individuals abroad comes as Hong Kong continues to clamp down on political dissent after massive anti-government protests in 2019 that resulted in a wave of pro-democracy movements. Many outspoken pro-democracy activists have since been imprisoned and others have fled abroad.
Activists react to the awarding of bounties on their heads
Chung, a former Studentlocalism leader, said in a story posted on Instagram that he was “honored” to be the first Hong Konger to be charged twice with violating national security laws.
“As a staunch Hong Kong nationalist, today’s arrest warrant is undoubtedly a kind of confirmation for me. In the future, I will continue to staunchly and fearlessly promote Hong Kong’s self-determination,” he wrote.
In addition, Cheung, who lives in the UK, said in an Instagram post that “even in the face of a powerful enemy, I will continue to do what I believe is right.”
“How fragile, incompetent and cowardly does the regime have to be to believe that I, a 19-year-old ordinary Hong Konger, can ‘threaten’ and ‘divide’ the country? How panicked are they that they have to put a million dollar bounty on me?” she asked.
Article 23, Hong Kong’s controversial national security law, has come into effect. Many fear that the suppression of dissent will further erode civil liberties.
On X, Lau called on governments, including those of the UK, US and EU countries, to “impose sanctions on Hong Kong’s human rights abusers without further delay” and called on democracies to support Hong Kong’s right to self-determination.
“The Hong Kong government’s latest round of arrest warrants and bounties against six Hong Kong activists is a cowardly act of intimidation aimed at silencing the people of Hong Kong,” said Maya Wang, associate China director at Human Rights Watch.
“The six – including two Canadian citizens – live in the UK and Canada. We call on the UK and Canadian governments to act immediately to resist the Hong Kong government’s attempts to threaten Hong Kong citizens living in their countries.”
Tuesday’s arrest warrants bring the total number of people wanted to 19.
Others on Tuesday’s list include: Chung Kim-wah, previously a senior member of an independent Hong Kong pollster; Joseph Tay, co-founder of the Canadian-based non-governmental organization HongKonger Station; and YouTuber Victor Ho.
Separately on Tuesday, the Hong Kong government issued orders to cancel passports belonging to seven “fugitives”, including former MPs Hui and Dennis Kwok, who are wanted under the security law.
The orders were issued under Hong Kong’s domestic national security law — known as Article 23 — and also ban the seven from dealing with funds in Hong Kong, as well as activities related to joint ventures and assets.
