The United Kingdom condemns the offer in Hong Kong species to obtain aid to stop activists
The United Kingdom has condemned the last Hong Kong authorities in cash for people who help the arrest of pro-democracy activists living in Great Britain.
In a joint declaration, the Minister of Foreign Affairs David Lammy and the interior secretary, Yvette Cooper, described this decision as “another example of transnational repression”.
People are offered between $ 25,000 ($ 200,000 HK) and $ 125,000 for information leading to the arrest of 19 people, who are all pro-democracy activists living abroad.
China denounced criticism of “interference” on this type of call, which it has done three times before.
The 19 people are accused of having violated the Beijing National Security Act imposed in 2020 in response to the 2019 antigovening demonstrations that have shaken the city for months.
The amounts offered vary depending on the individual. Among the highest offers on the list are those of Choi Ming-Da and Fok Ka-chi, which, according to the police of Hong Kong, operated a social media chain called “Mardidroad”. The politician Nathan Law – who had been a legislator to the Hong Kong Legislative Council – and the activist and commentator Yuan Gong -Yi is also on the lists.
The first awards of this type were issued in July and December 2023. They targeted Nathan Law – who told the BBC that his life had become more dangerous after the announcement of a bonus – and Simon Cheng, a former employee of the British consulate held in 2019 in a large -scale case.
The third series of awards has targeted six pro-democracy activists living in the United Kingdom and Canada, including Tony Chung, the former leader of a pro independence group.
A special visa system introduced in 2021 saw around 150,000 Hong Kong residents moving to the United Kingdom, according to the home office.
In November of last year, a Hong Kong court sentenced dozens of pro-democracy leaders to years in prison for subversion, following a controversial national security trial.
In their declaration in response to the last bonus, Ms. Cooper and Mr. Lammy said that “this government will continue to stand with the inhabitants of Hong Kong, including those who made the United Kingdom their house. We take the protection of their rights, freedoms and security very seriously.”
Their joint declaration added: “The United Kingdom is attached to human rights, the rule of law and the security of all individuals in the United Kingdom. This is why we have taken other measures to complete the links between the United Kingdom and the Hong Kong extradition systems by removing Hong Kong from the 2003 law.”
