The United Kingdom has issued a strong condemnation of Hong Kong authorities’ recent offer of financial rewards for information leading to the arrest of pro-democracy activists residing in Britain.
In a joint statement, Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper denounced the move as “another example of transnational repression.”
The Hong Kong authorities are offering sums ranging from $25,000 (HK$200,000) to $125,000 for information that results in the apprehension of 19 individuals, all identified as pro-democracy activists living abroad.
China has previously dismissed criticism of these bounty offers as “interference,” having issued similar appeals on three prior occasions, as previously reported.
The 19 individuals are accused of violating Beijing’s national security law, which was imposed in 2020 following the widespread anti-government protests that took place in Hong Kong throughout 2019.
The reward amounts vary depending on the individual. Notably high bounties have been placed on Choi Ming-da and Fok Ka-chi, identified by Hong Kong police as operators of the social media channel “Tuesdayroad.”
Prominent figures such as politician Nathan Law, a former member of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council, and activist and commentator Yuan Gong-Yi are also among those targeted.
The initial set of rewards was issued in July and December 2023. These targeted individuals including Mr. Law, who stated that his safety had been compromised following the announcement of the bounty, and Simon Cheng, a former employee of the UK consulate who was detained in 2019 in a widely publicized case.
A third round of rewards targeted six pro-democracy activists residing in the UK and Canada, including Tony Chung, the former leader of a pro-independence group.
Since the introduction of a special visa scheme in 2021, approximately 150,000 Hong Kong residents have relocated to the UK, according to data from the Home Office.
The Hong Kong British National (Overseas) visa route, available to holders of a British National (Overseas) passport and their immediate family members, provides an expedited pathway to UK citizenship.
The British National (Overseas) status was established prior to the United Kingdom’s transfer of sovereignty over Hong Kong, a former British colony, to China in 1997.
The BNO passport primarily serves as a travel document and does not confer citizenship rights, although it does entitle holders to certain forms of consular assistance outside of Hong Kong and China.
Individuals who have successfully applied for and obtained the visa are eligible to apply for permanent residency after five years, followed by British citizenship after an additional 12 months.
In November of the previous year, a Hong Kong court sentenced numerous pro-democracy leaders to lengthy prison terms for subversion, following a controversial national security trial.
In their statement addressing the latest bounties, Ms. Cooper and Mr. Lammy affirmed: “This government will continue to stand with the people of Hong Kong, including those who have made the UK their home.”
“We take the protection of their rights, freedoms, and safety very seriously.”
The joint statement further emphasized: “The UK is committed to human rights, the rule of law, and the safety of all individuals in the UK.”
“That’s why we have taken further steps to complete the severing of ties between the UK and Hong Kong extradition systems by removing Hong Kong from the Extradition Act 2003.”
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