Hong Kong's leader said Tuesday said eight pro-democracy activists who now live in the United States, Britain, Canada, and Australia will be pursued for life for alleged national security offenses, dismissing criticism that the move was a dangerous precedent. Chief Executive John Lee expressed his support for the police's efforts to seek the arrests of the eight. At his weekly media briefing, Lee said anyone, including their friends and relatives, who offered information leading to their arrests would be eligible for the bounties offered by the police, the AP reports. "The only way to end their destiny of being an abscondee who will be pursued for life is to surrender," he said.
The arrest warrants were issued for former pro-democracy lawmakers Nathan Law, Ted Hui, and Dennis Kwok, lawyer Kevin Yam, unionist Mung Siu-tat and activists Finn Lau, Anna Kwok and Elmer Yuen. They were accused of breaching the Beijing-imposed National Security Law by committing offenses such as collusion and inciting secession. More than 260 people have been arrested under the law enacted in 2020 as part of a broad crackdown on dissent in the territory, but the rewards of 1 million Hong Kong dollars ($127,600) for information leading to each arrest were the first under the law.
The move quickly drew ire from the US and British governments, which took issue with the extraterritorial application of the security law. The Chinese Foreign Ministry's office in Hong Kong rejected the criticism, warning "foreign interference forces" to stop shielding "criminals" immediately. Police acknowledged they will not be able to arrest the eight if they remain overseas. Lee's remarks did not stop the overseas activists from speaking up. Mung pledged in a statement that he would not cease advocacy work for Hong Kong labor rights abroad. "If I were ever found guilty, my only 'crime' would be speaking the truth for my fellow Hong Kongers," he said.
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