The Canadian authorities launched a press release Saturday condemning Hong Kong authorities who issued worldwide arrest warrants for pro-democracy activists — together with some Canadians.
Hong Kong police introduced rewards on Friday for data resulting in the arrest of 19 overseas-based activists for his or her roles in what they referred to as a subversive group overseas, accusing them of violating a nationwide safety legislation imposed by Beijing.
“The people focused yesterday (Friday) underneath the Beijing-imposed Nationwide Safety Regulation in Hong Kong embody Canadians and folks with shut ties to Canada,” World Affairs Canada stated within the assertion.
“This try by Hong Kong authorities to conduct transnational repression overseas, together with by issuing threats, intimidation or coercion towards Canadians or these in Canada, won’t be tolerated.”
The assertion additionally provides that the transfer by Hong Kong “represents a deeply troubling escalation in using transnational repression by the Folks’s Republic of China.”
Hong Kong Police Drive stated in a press release Friday that the group, Hong Kong Parliament, aimed to advertise self-determination and set up a so-called “Hong Kong structure,” alleging it was utilizing unlawful means to overthrow and undermine China’s basic system or overthrow the establishments in energy within the metropolis or China.
On the request of the police, town’s courtroom issued arrest warrants for activists Elmer Yuen, Johnny Fok, Tony Choi, Victor Ho, Keung Ka-wai and 14 others. They’re alleged to have organized or participated in an election overseas for the Hong Kong Parliament, in addition to establishing or changing into members of the group.
In response to a Fb assertion by the group on June 30, its election drew some 15,700 legitimate votes by cellular app and on-line voting programs. It stated the candidates and elected members got here from varied areas, together with Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, the U.S., Canada and Britain.
Whereas the group calls itself Hong Kong Parliament, its electoral organizing committee was based in Canada and its affect is restricted.
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Among the many 19 activists, police have already supplied a million Hong Kong {dollars} (US$127,400) for data resulting in the arrest of Yuen, Ho, Fok and Choi when earlier arrest warrants had been issued towards them. For the remaining 15 individuals, rewards of 200,000 Hong Kong {dollars} (US$25,480) had been supplied, urging residents to supply details about the case or the individuals.
“The investigation remains to be ongoing. If needed, police will provide bounties to seek out extra suspects within the case,” police stated.
In addition they referred to as on these wished to cease their actions whereas they nonetheless can, saying that they hoped the activists would “take this chance to return to Hong Kong and switch themselves in, slightly than making extra errors.”
Yuen stated in a Fb reside broadcast that the election was not fairly profitable in drawing lively participation, and that the police marketing campaign would assist the group rally help for the resistance motion.
“It helps us with loads of promoting,” Yuen stated.
In the course of the reside chat with Yuen on Fb, Sasha Gong, one other individual focused by the bounties, accused Hong Kong of changing into a police state. She stated she is a U.S. citizen and would report her case to the U.S. authorities and lawmakers.
The assertion from World Affairs Canada describes how Hong Kong authorities are utilizing digital means to infiltrate Chinese language communities overseas and in Canada to unfold phrase of the posted bounties.
“Fast Response Mechanism Canada detected that these bounties are being amplified in an inauthentic and coordinated method, by a web based community of accounts which might be focusing on Chinese language-speaking communities,” the assertion says.
“The actions taken by Hong Kong threaten the sovereignty of Canada and safety of the individuals on this nation.”
U.Okay. Overseas Secretary David Lammy and House Secretary Yvette Cooper stated in a joint assertion that the warrants and bounties on individuals dwelling in Britain are “one other instance of transnational repression,” and that the act encourages reckless behaviour on U.Okay. soil.
Over the previous two years, Hong Kong authorities have issued arrest warrants for varied activists based mostly abroad, together with former pro-democracy lawmakers Nathan Regulation and Ted Hui. In addition they cancelled the passports of a few of them underneath a current safety legislation launched within the metropolis final yr.
The strikes towards overseas-based activists have drawn criticism from overseas governments, particularly on condition that the previous British colony was promised that its western-style civil liberties and semi-autonomy can be saved intact for no less than 50 years when it returned to Chinese language rule in 1997.
In March, america sanctioned six Chinese language and Hong Kong officers who it alleged had been concerned in “transnational repression” and acts that threaten to additional erode town’s autonomy.
However Beijing and Hong Kong insist the nationwide safety legal guidelines had been needed for town’s stability. Hong Kong police have maintained that the Beijing-imposed legislation applies to everlasting residents in Hong Kong who violate it overseas.
In retaliation for the U.S. transfer, China in April stated it might sanction U.S. officers, lawmakers and leaders of non-governmental organizations it says have “carried out poorly” on Hong Kong points.
— with information from World Information’ Ari Rabinovitch
© 2025 The Canadian Press
