Hong Kong police are offering rewards for information leading to the arrests of five activists based overseas, whom it accuses of breaching a harsh national security law imposed by Beijing.
Many leading pro-democracy activists were arrested, silenced, or forced into self-exile after the introduction of the security law in 2020, in a sign that freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to China in 1997 had been eroded drastically.
But both Beijing and Hong Kong governments have hailed the security law for bringing back stability to the semi-autonomous Chinese city.
Arrest warrants were issued for Johnny Fok and Tony Choi, who host a YouTube channel focusing on current affairs, and pro-democracy activists Simon Cheng, Hui Wing-ting and Joey Siu.
Steve Li, chief superintendent of the police national security department, said authorities received some 500 pieces of information since the last round of bounties was announced.
Li said the five activists newly added to the wanted list had committed various offenses, including colluding with foreign forces and incitement to secession.
Sarah Brooks, Amnesty International’s deputy regional director for Greater China, said the tactic of placing bounties on activists appeared to be emerging as a method of choice to silence dissent.
The original article contains 506 words, the summary contains 172 words. Saved 66%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Many leading pro-democracy activists were arrested, silenced, or forced into self-exile after the introduction of the security law in 2020, in a sign that freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to China in 1997 had been eroded drastically.
But both Beijing and Hong Kong governments have hailed the security law for bringing back stability to the semi-autonomous Chinese city.
Arrest warrants were issued for Johnny Fok and Tony Choi, who host a YouTube channel focusing on current affairs, and pro-democracy activists Simon Cheng, Hui Wing-ting and Joey Siu.
Steve Li, chief superintendent of the police national security department, said authorities received some 500 pieces of information since the last round of bounties was announced.
Li said the five activists newly added to the wanted list had committed various offenses, including colluding with foreign forces and incitement to secession.
Sarah Brooks, Amnesty International’s deputy regional director for Greater China, said the tactic of placing bounties on activists appeared to be emerging as a method of choice to silence dissent.
The original article contains 506 words, the summary contains 172 words. Saved 66%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!