The Hong Kong government yesterday canceled the passports of six overseas-based rights advocates.
The six are: former Hong Kong lawmaker Nathan Law (羅冠聰), unionist Christopher Mung (蒙兆達), and rights advocates Simon Cheng (鄭文傑), Finn Lau (攬炒巴), Johnny Fok (霍嘉誌) and Tony Choi (蔡明達), all accused of endangering national security by authorities in the territory.
The government said that they have “absconded” to the UK.
Photo: AFP
Last year, police offered rewards of HK$1 million (US$128,000) each for information leading to their arrests.
Authorities also banned anyone from providing funds or economic resources to the six, leasing properties to them or forming any joint venture with them, or risk a penalty of up to seven years in prison.
The government said it acted because the six were continuing to engage in activities that endanger national security, smearing the territory and colluding with external forces.
“We have to combat, deter and to prevent those people who have committed the offenses relating to endangering national security through absconds,” Hong Kong Secretary for Security Chris Tang (鄧炳強) said.
The six were sheltered in the UK, Tang said, adding that some British officials and media firms had attempted to damage the rule of law in Hong Kong and influence judicial decisions in some national security cases.
Asked whether subscribing to the accounts on Patreon and YouTube of the six is illegal, Tang said that anyone who provides funds to them would be contravening the rules, regardless of the platform.
More than 144,400 people from Hong Kong have moved to the UK using a special visa that allows them to live and work in the state and apply for British citizenship after six years.
The UK introduced the pathway in 2021.
Additionally, the British government granted asylum to Law and Cheng.
Law wrote on Facebook that he had submitted his passport to UK authorities when he applied for asylum in 2020 and has not collected it back, calling the Hong Kong government’s statement “a redundant move.”
He urged people who remain in Hong Kong to prioritize their safety if restrictions worry them.
Lau wrote on X that he never owned a Hong Kong passport, so “it is ridiculous to cancel something that never exists.”
Mung vowed to continue to fight for Hong Kong, while Cheng said the government’s moves were politically motivated and ineffective, adding that their lives in the UK would not be affected.
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