This week, the United Kingdom has expressed strong condemnation against Hong Kong’s recent offer of cash rewards for individuals who provide information leading to the arrest of pro-democracy activists living in exile in the UK. The announcement was met with criticism from officials, including Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, who labeled the scheme as “another example of transnational repression.”
The proposed cash incentives, ranging from approximately $25,000 (HK$200,000) to $125,000, target 19 exiled activists accused of violating Beijing's controversial national security law, which was implemented in 2020 amidst widespread anti-government protests. Critics view this as a blatant attempt by Hong Kong authorities to undermine individual freedoms and intimidate political dissidents abroad.
Among those targeted by these cash offers are prominent figures such as Choi Ming-da and Fok Ka-chi, operators of a well-known social media channel, as well as former Hong Kong lawmaker Nathan Law and vocal activist Yuan Gong-Yi. Nathan Law, who has expressed concern for his safety since the bounty was announced, emphasizes the growing dangers faced by these activists in their adopted home.
The bounty initiative is not new; it first emerged in July and December 2023, specifically directed at activists who have settled in countries like the UK and Canada. This follows a large-scale migration of around 150,000 Hong Kong residents to the UK, encouraged by a special visa scheme established in 2021 in response to Hong Kong's political turmoil.
In formally rebuking the cash offer, Lammy and Cooper reassured the pro-democracy activists: “This government will continue to stand with the people of Hong Kong, including those who have made the UK their home. We take the protection of their rights, freedoms, and safety very seriously.” They further reiterated the UK's commitment to upholding human rights and the rule of law by severing ties with the Hong Kong extradition system, removing it from the Extradition Act 2003.
The proposed cash incentives, ranging from approximately $25,000 (HK$200,000) to $125,000, target 19 exiled activists accused of violating Beijing's controversial national security law, which was implemented in 2020 amidst widespread anti-government protests. Critics view this as a blatant attempt by Hong Kong authorities to undermine individual freedoms and intimidate political dissidents abroad.
Among those targeted by these cash offers are prominent figures such as Choi Ming-da and Fok Ka-chi, operators of a well-known social media channel, as well as former Hong Kong lawmaker Nathan Law and vocal activist Yuan Gong-Yi. Nathan Law, who has expressed concern for his safety since the bounty was announced, emphasizes the growing dangers faced by these activists in their adopted home.
The bounty initiative is not new; it first emerged in July and December 2023, specifically directed at activists who have settled in countries like the UK and Canada. This follows a large-scale migration of around 150,000 Hong Kong residents to the UK, encouraged by a special visa scheme established in 2021 in response to Hong Kong's political turmoil.
In formally rebuking the cash offer, Lammy and Cooper reassured the pro-democracy activists: “This government will continue to stand with the people of Hong Kong, including those who have made the UK their home. We take the protection of their rights, freedoms, and safety very seriously.” They further reiterated the UK's commitment to upholding human rights and the rule of law by severing ties with the Hong Kong extradition system, removing it from the Extradition Act 2003.
