Hong Kong hits back after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken slams HK$1 million bounties on another 5 fugitive opposition figures
- Hong Kong government ‘condemns certain countries and organisations for making irresponsible and unsubstantiated accusations’
- US Secretary of State Antony Blinken says Hong Kong authorities have displayed ‘their disregard for international norms and human rights’
Hong Kong has hit back at the United States after its top diplomat accused local authorities of disregarding international norms and human rights by placing HK$1 million bounties on five more wanted opposition activists.
In a statement released hours after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s remarks, the government said it “strongly opposes and condemns certain countries and organisations for making irresponsible and unsubstantiated accusations” about the police force’s National Security Department putting people at large on a wanted list.
“It is common practice for police and other law enforcement agencies to release information on fugitive offenders … and appeal to members of the public to assist in bringing fugitive offenders to justice,” a government spokesman said.
Police on Thursday announced HK$1 million (US$128,000) bounties on another five fugitive opposition figures accused of violating the national security law. They also revealed four people had been arrested on suspicion of sending money through a crowdfunding platform to two prominent activists earlier placed on a wanted list.
Officers said the five had fled overseas and continued to commit offences under the Beijing-imposed law, including inciting secession and subversion, and colluding with foreign countries or external elements to endanger national security. Authorities have said the legislation has extraterritorial effect.
Hong Kong national security police put HK$1 million bounties on 5 more fugitives
The spokesman said some countries had “wantonly made unreasonable criticisms and smeared” the extraterritorial effect of the legislation and police law enforcement actions. He said extraterritoriality was a common feature of national security laws in many countries, including Britain and the United States.
“These are clearly typical manipulations tainted with double standards,” he added.
Authorities pledged to “pursue the liability of the fugitives who have absconded overseas and endangered national security to the end”, the spokesman said.
Earlier, Blinken said the US strongly opposed “any efforts to intimidate and silence individuals who choose to make the United States their home and will not waver in standing up for those who are targeted simply for exercising their human rights”.
“The United States rejects the PRC’s [People’s Republic of China] attempt to use these cash awards to threaten and harass those advocating for freedom and democracy, and we urge Hong Kong authorities to respect the protected rights and freedoms enumerated in the Basic Law,” he said on Friday, referring to the city’s mini-constitution.
The latest bounties took the total number of rewards being offered for information leading to the arrest of fugitives wanted in national security cases to 13.
The five – Simon Cheng Man-kit, Frances Hui Wing-ting, Joey Siu Nam, Johnny Fok Ka-chi and Tony Choi Ming-da – were accused of inciting secession and subversion, as well as colluding with foreign forces.
Blinken said the charges and the list of cash awards “unjustly target overseas democracy advocates”, who include US citizen Siu and other individuals based in the country.
“Hong Kong authorities display their disregard for international norms and human rights in Hong Kong and the deterioration of that city’s once proud tradition of respecting the rule of law,” he said.
The top diplomat also called on the international community to join the United States in condemning what he described as an “act of transnational repression”.
“The United States remains committed to defending the rights and freedoms of all people and calls on the PRC to act in a manner consistent with its international commitments and legal obligations.”
Police patrols, sniffer dogs and X-ray checks at Hong Kong court for Lai trial
US Senator Ben Cardin, chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, also weighed in on Friday, saying he was deeply concerned about the issuance of five arrest warrants. He also called for the immediate release of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying.
“I am deeply concerned by ongoing efforts by the PRC and Hong Kong governments to target persons whose only ‘crime’ appears to be supporting the rights of the people of Hong Kong to have their voices heard by their own government,” he said.
“The recent issuance of five arrest warrants by the Hong Kong government against overseas pro-democracy activists … is just the latest example of the PRC’s use of transnational repression to harass and threaten anyone who seeks to question its authoritarian grip on power.”
Hong Kong national security law: police offer HK$1 million rewards for arrest of 8
Lai, 76, is facing charges of sedition and conspiracy to collude with foreign forces for allegedly calling for international sanctions against Hong Kong and central authorities and inciting public hatred in the wake of the city’s anti-government protests in 2019.
Having spent nearly three years in custody, the media mogul will stand trial at the High Court on Monday. The court has estimated that it will take at least 80 days.
Police announced eight unprecedented HK$1 million bounties on July 3 for information leading to each arrest of eight fugitives.
They are former legislators Nathan Law Kwun-chung, Dennis Kwok Wing-hang and Ted Hui Chi-fung, unionist Mung Siu-tat, lawyer Kevin Yam Kin-fung, and activists Finn Lau Cho-dik, Anna Kwok Fung-yee and Elmer Yuan Gong-yi.
