China threatens to arrest Hong Kong democracy activists
“In some cases, foreign governments will seek to use members of the Australian Diaspora to monitor, direct and influence the activities of those same Diaspora,” ASIO said.
The US State Department on Tuesday morning accused Hong Kong police of using the law to issue extraterritoriality warrants.
Hong Kong lawmaker in exile Ted Hoi. credit:
“The Chinese government’s extraterritorial application of national security laws sets a dangerous precedent that threatens the human rights and fundamental freedoms of people around the world,” said State Department spokesman Matthew Miller.
A Senior Fellow at Georgetown University’s Center for Asian Law, based in Melbourne, Yam has been highly critical of the impact of the national security law and its impact on Hong Kong’s judicial independence. A Hong Kong-born lawyer said he was under arrest for colluding with foreign forces.
“I am an Australian citizen and I exercise my right to free speech in Australia,” he said.
“They’ve run out of big targets in Hong Kong, so they’re trying to make a pantomime villain out of us.”
Yam said he believes the bounty will have a national and international audience.
“The domestic message is that if you are in Hong Kong and share these people’s Facebook and Twitter posts, you could get in trouble as well.
“And on the international side, I think they are trying to blackmail people overseas into speaking out about Hong Kong.
“They are also basically sending a signal to the West that we don’t care about your freedom.”
Others named by Hong Kong police are based in the United Kingdom and the United States. Among them are politicians in exile, Nathan Law and Dennis Kwok. Activists Finn Lau, Anna Kwok and Elmer Yuan. And Mr. Mun Ciutat, a labor union member.
“Eight officials who fled abroad are suspected of continuing to commit crimes under the National Security Act,” a Hong Kong government spokesman said in a statement on Monday.
“Fugitives should not harbor the delusion that they can escape legal liability by fleeing Hong Kong.”
It escalated further on Tuesday, when the Chinese embassy accused Britain of harboring fugitives.
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“British politicians have openly offered protection for the fugitives. This is Hong Kong’s rule of law and gross interference in China’s internal affairs,” the embassy said.
We have reached out to the Chinese Embassy in Canberra for comment.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said he deeply regretted the issuance of the arrest warrant.
“We have consistently expressed concern about the broad application of national security laws to arrest and pressure pro-democracy figures and civil society,” Wong said.
Ted Hoi (left) and Kevin Yam (middle).
“Freedoms of expression and assembly are essential to our democracy and we support Australians in exercising those rights. remain deeply concerned.”
Hui, who had to return to work in Adelaide on Tuesday after the bounty was served, said the warrant showed the Chinese government was becoming more repressive at home and abroad.
“This will make China a better place for Western democracies as well. [becoming] It’s more authoritarian and a threat to the world,” he said.
https://www.smh.com.au/world/asia/hilarious-hong-kong-activists-in-australia-slam-china-s-arrest-threat-20230704-p5dlks.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_world China threatens to arrest Hong Kong democracy activists
