HONG KONG – Hong Kong police offered bounties on Dec 14 for information leading to the capture of five overseas activists accused of national security crimes, drawing prompt rebukes from the United States and Britain.

The city’s authorities said the five wanted individuals, all now living abroad, would be pursued “till the end” as they offered HK$1 million (S$170,200) bounties for help catching them.

The five fled after Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law on the financial hub in 2020 to quash dissent after massive pro-democracy protests.

The bounties are the second batch of hefty rewards offered by Hong Kong police pursuing fugitives accused of national security crimes, and were immediately criticised by Washington and London.

The US said it strongly condemned the move, while Britain called it “a threat to our democracy and fundamental human rights”.

Britain’s Foreign Secretary David Cameron added that he had instructed British officials in Hong Kong, Beijing and London to “raise this issue as a matter of urgency”.

US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said “advocates for democracy and freedom will continue to enjoy their constitutionally guaranteed freedoms” in the United States.

“We deplore any attempt to apply the Beijing-imposed national security law extra-territorially, and reiterate that Hong Kong authorities have no jurisdiction within United States borders,” he added.

In response, China on Dec 15 accused the US and Britain of “malicious intentions”.

The Hong Kong police’s desire to arrest the activists is “necessary and legitimate” on national security grounds and is in line with international law, said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning at a regular news briefing.

“The national security laws of other countries, including the United States and Britain, also have extraterritorial effects,” she said.

“By cheering on these anti-China individuals that are bringing havoc to Hong Kong, the United States and Britain are exposing their malicious intentions in messing up Hong Kong,” Ms Mao added.

Chief Superintendent Steve Li Kwai-wah of the Hong Kong police said the five were suspected of incitement to secession, incitement to subversion, and foreign collusion – crimes that can carry sentences of up to life in prison.

“All of them, who have already fled overseas, have continued to commit offences under the national security law that seriously endanger national security,” Mr Li told a news conference.

He said they “betrayed their country, betrayed Hong Kong, disregarded the interests of Hong Kong people, and continue to endanger national security even when abroad”.

‘Never back down’

Among them was prominent activist Simon Cheng, who is now in Britain and is the founder of the civil society group Hongkongers in Britain.

Activists Frances Hui, Joey Siu, Fok Ka-chi and Choi Ming-da were the other four identified.

Responding on social media, Ms Siu said she was a US citizen and that she was targeted for exercising freedoms “in my own country”.

“I will never be silenced, I will never back down,” she wrote.

Mr Cheng also said on social media: “If the government deems the quest for democracy and freedom a crime, we embrace the charges to reveal the genuine face of social justice.”

Ms Sarah Brooks, Amnesty International’s deputy regional director for Greater China, said the bounties “only compound the already existing climate of fear”.

“The placement of a bounty under the guise of national security charges is an act of intimidation that transcends borders and aims to silence dissent everywhere,” she said, urging the bounties to be withdrawn.

Mr Cheng and Ms Hui were granted asylum in Britain and the United States, respectively.

‘Intimidate’

In his condemnation, Mr Cameron said Hong Kong police had “again targeted individuals for exercising their right to freedom of expression”.

“We will not tolerate any attempt by any foreign power to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities in the UK,” he added.

He also urged Beijing to repeal the national security law and “end its persecution of political activists”.

The law – which has reshaped Hong Kong society and broken down the legal firewall that once existed between the city and mainland China – claims the power to hold accused people accountable across the world.

However, the Hong Kong authorities have not specified how enforcement abroad is possible.

Eight other prominent activists also overseas – including pro-democracy lawmakers Nathan Law and Ted Hui – were identified in July as targets for the police, which offered bounties of HK$1 million each for information leading to their capture.

Police also announced on Dec 14 that they had arrested two men and two women, aged between 29 and 68, in Hong Kong for “providing pecuniary assistance” to Mr Law and Mr Hui.

The four people were suspected of paying sums of up to HK$120,000 to the duo on online crowdfunding platforms, Chief Supt Li said, without identifying the site.

At least 30 people in Hong Kong had already been questioned by police over their alleged ties to the eight activists.

Hong Kong leader John Lee – who has been sanctioned by the United States for his role as security chief during the 2019 pro-democracy protests – has said the wanted activists would be “pursued for life” and called on them to surrender. AFP