Family of Pro-Democracy Activist Arrested in Hong Kong Under Security Law

In a significant escalation of Hong Kong’s national security enforcement, police have arrested the family of pro-democracy advocate Anna Kwok, citing their involvement in her financial matters.

Hong Kong police have taken into custody the father and brother of Anna Kwok, a pro-democracy activist currently residing in the United States, reportedly for purportedly assisting her financially. This incident marks a groundbreaking instance of family members being arrested in association with an "absconder" under the territory's national security legislation, according to reports by Reuters. Anna Kwok, aged 26, is accused of violating Hong Kong's national security laws through her participation in pro-democracy protests back in 2019. Following her escape from the region in 2020, she has held the position of Executive Director at the Hong Kong Democracy Council (HKDC), located in Washington DC.

The police have apprehended the two male relatives, aged 35 and 68, on allegations linked to the management of funds or financial assets belonging to Ms. Kwok. Local media has identified them as her father Kwok Yin-sang and her brother. Reports suggest that the police began their investigation after they observed interactions between the family members and Ms. Kwok abroad. According to the charge sheet obtained by Reuters, the elder Kwok is accused of attempting to gain access to his daughter's life and accident insurance policies, which could be utilized for her benefit. The judge overseeing the case, Victor So, has denied him bail during the proceedings at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts. Meanwhile, the younger relative has been released on bail but remains under investigation for supporting their father’s actions.

In accordance with Hong Kong's Safeguarding National Security Bill, providing any form of financial assistance to a relevant absconder is considered illegal. In 2023, the Hong Kong government announced a bounty for the capture of several pro-democracy activists, including Ms. Kwok, who were accused of colluding with foreign entities—a crime that may result in life imprisonment. Anna Kwok has previously remarked that this bounty is a tactic employed by the Hong Kong authorities and the Chinese Communist Party to intimidate activists into silence. Since its designation as a special administrative region of China in 1997, concerns have escalated surrounding the erosion of freedoms previously enjoyed in Hong Kong, closely paralleling the situation in mainland China.