HONG KONG - Police in Hong Kong have offered rewards of HK$1 million (US$128,000) for information on five more local dissidents residing overseas, doubling down on the controversial use of bounties to chase after pro-democracy activists.
“All of them, who have already fled overseas, have continued to commit offences under the National Security Law that seriously endanger national security,” Li Kwai-wah, chief superintendent of the police national security department, said at a press briefing on Thursday.
The alleged offences under the sweeping law imposed by Beijing in 2020 include inciting secession and subversion, as well as colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security, Li said.
The five, including Simon Cheng, Frances Hui and Joey Siu, “betrayed their country” through acts such as calling for sanctions against Hong Kong officials, Li said.
“The National Security Law has extraterritorial effect,” the Security Bureau said in a separate statement. “The police have the responsibility to pursue those who have allegedly committed offences under the National Security Law outside Hong Kong.”
In July, authorities placed similar HK$1-million bounties on eight democracy activists living abroad. The United States, Australia and Britain — countries where some of the accused activists now reside — condemned the move, with Washington calling it a “dangerous precedent”.
