Diksia.com - Hong Kong police on Monday (03/07) offered a reward of HK$1 million (equivalent to 1.9 billion rupees) for information on eight overseas-based fugitive activists.
The activist was charged with national security violations, including foreign collusion and inciting secession, crimes punishable by life imprisonment.
All of the accused fled Hong Kong after Beijing enacted sweeping national security laws in 2020 following pro-democracy protests against China.
The Hong Kong leadership also urged the defendants to “surrender” immediately, otherwise the eight defendants would “spend their days in fear.”
“The only way to end their fate as refugees facing lifelong persecution is to surrender,” Hong Kong leader John Lee told reporters on Tuesday (04/07).
The United States (USA) on Monday (3 July) criticized the Hong Kong police for publishing a competition in connection with eight democracy activists seeking asylum abroad. According to the US, this step is quite dangerous and could pose a risk of human rights violations.
“The United States condemns the Hong Kong police’s actions in issuing international arrest warrants for the eight activists,” said Matthew Miller, spokesman for the US State Department, in a statement.
Miller called on the Hong Kong government to immediately withdraw the competition and “respect the sovereignty of other countries and stop international enforcement of Beijing-imposed national security law.”
New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) also called the grant “transgressive” and an extension of China’s “political intimidation campaign beyond its borders.”
“Offering cross-border gifts is a feeble attempt to intimidate activists and representatives outside of Hong Kong who are campaigning against Beijing’s growing oppression for people’s rights,” Maya Wang, regional director of HRW Asia, said in a statement.
The announcement of the competition came two days after Hong Kong celebrated its 26th anniversary, the handover from Britain to China, and the third anniversary of the passage of national security laws.
