Hong Kong's Police Target Activists Abroad with Million-Dollar Bounties

Hong Kong's police have announced substantial rewards for information leading to the arrest of six activists abroad, fueling international concerns over freedom of speech and political repression.

Hong Kong authorities have offered HK$1 million (approximately $129,000) for information leading to the arrest of six pro-democracy activists residing in the UK and Canada. This initiative targets individuals such as Tony Chung, a former leader of a separatist group who fled to the UK last year, along with a former district councillor, an actor, and a popular YouTuber—all accused of breaching the city's national security law. Activists allege that these measures are part of a systematic effort by Hong Kong officials to silence dissent and intimidate critics living abroad.

The sought individuals include Carmen Lau and Chloe Cheung, both vocal democracy advocates in the UK, as well as Chung Kim-wah, a political commentator who also left Hong Kong in 2022. From Canada, the wanted list extends to former actor Joseph Tay and Victor Ho, a YouTuber facing subversion charges. These activists have all been implicated in attempts to solicit foreign sanctions against Hong Kong amid its political turmoil.

Human Rights Watch condemned the issuance of arrest warrants, labeling it a "cowardly act of intimidation" and urging the governments in the UK and Canada to respond forcefully against such actions. In the wake of the bounties, Chung, who previously faced charges in 2021 for advocating secession, expressed no surprise at the police's response to his asylum, acknowledging that returning home seems unlikely in the near future.

Carmen Lau has made it clear that these warrants won't deter her efforts, calling for international support against "Hong Kong human rights perpetrators". Earlier, Tower Hamlets' council representatives opposed the construction of a new Chinese embassy, a decision that may ultimately rest with UK officials.

This latest announcement marks the third wave of arrest warrants since the implementation of the controversial National Security Law in 2020, which critics argue has curtailed freedoms in Hong Kong, directly contradicting the city's supposed autonomy. The situation continues to escalate as pro-democracy activists abroad grapple with the reality of functioning within a system that punishes dissenting voices.