Hong Kong police issue warning over impersonating officers after Jimmy Lai’s London-based lawyers sent threatening email from ‘National Security Wing’
- Barristers at Doughty Street Chambers say they received an email claiming to be from Hong Kong police warning them against travelling to city
- Force condemn act of impersonating officers and reiterate police will act in accordance with relevant laws, established procedures and guidelines
The barristers from British law firm Doughty Street Chambers told the Post their team had received a number of threatening messages through emails and “indirect messages”.
They were from a sender who claimed to be from the Hong Kong security services with a gmail address with the shorthand “sb”, commonly known as the Security Bureau.
Media reports on Friday said the email was issued by the “National Security Wing”, which purported to be from the national security department of the Hong Kong Police Force.
“A person that refuses to abide by the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region could be extradited … from other jurisdictions. Foreign nationals will be charged with the offences of subversion,” one of the emails read. “You have been warned not to attempt entry or land in Chinese territory.”
The lawyers told the media that “intimidatory tactics” to threaten journalists, campaigners and lawyers in Hong Kong had been happening for some time and were now spreading to foreign countries. They also declined to reveal if they would travel to the city for the trial.