Hong Kong national security police raid home of ex-member of disbanded opposition party Demosisto a week after 5 arrests made
- Derek Lam questioned by police on whether he had offered help to former Demosisto chairman Nathan Law
- Dawn raid comes after police raided Law’s family home and detain parents and older brother for questioning
Hong Kong national security police raided the home of a former member of the now-disbanded opposition political party Demosisto on Thursday and questioned him about whether he had offered any help to wanted ex-lawmaker Nathan Law Kwun-chung, the Post has learned.
Officers armed with a search warrant raided the flat of former party member Derek Lam Shun-hin in Sai Ying Poon and took him away for questioning.
A source familiar with the case said the raid was part of an investigation into whether Lam had offered any help to Law, the party’s former chairman.
But the source said no arrest was made.
Police announced unprecedented HK$1 million (US$127,730) rewards on July 3 for information leading to the arrest of Law and seven others.
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Officers also arrested five former members of Demosisto on Thursday and Friday last week for allegedly raising funds for Law.
It is alleged they conspired to collude with a foreign country to endanger national security and carry out seditious acts. The five were released on bail, pending further investigation and must report to police next month.
Police raided Law’s family home in Tung Chung on Lantau Island on Tuesday and detained his parents and older brother for questioning.
The three were released after they were questioned by officers from the National Security Department.
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The other wanted opposition figures are barrister and ex-legislator Dennis Kwok Wing-hang, former lawmaker Ted Hui Chi-fung, trade unionist Mung Siu-tat, lawyer Kevin Yam Kin-fung, and activists Finn Lau Cho-dik, Anna Kwok Fung-yee and Elmer Yuan Gong-yi. They all live overseas.
National Security Department officers also took away another man and a woman on Thursday morning as part of their inquiries into allegations they had assisted suspects who continued to commit acts that endangered national security.
A spokesman said police were still investigating and further arrests were possible.
Meanwhile, British foreign office minister Anne-Marie Trevelyan accused Hong Kong authorities of taking further steps since last week to “intimidate” some of the eight wanted individuals by targeting their families.
“This is a very worrying development. This is a campaign of fear, intended to intimidate and silence those who seek to speak out peacefully against suppression and the erosion of rights and freedoms,” Trevelyan told parliament on Thursday.
She said these acts would only further damage the city’s international reputation and standing and the British government would not tolerate attempts by the Chinese or Hong Kong authorities to intimidate or silence anyone in the country.
The foreign secretary would send officials to formally protest to the Chinese ambassador, Trevelyan added.
