In another escalation of cracking down on dissidents, the Hong Kong Police on Thursday arrested 10 people on suspicions of supporting overseas activists who participated in the 2019 pro-democracy protests and have now fled the semi-autonomous city.
According to police, the recent arrested people were suspected of being involved in a now-defunct 612 Humanitarian Relief Fund to receive donations and provide financial support to the activists and organisations that have called for sanctions against Hong Kong. The fund is also believed to have help the people arrested in the 2019 protests.
The four men and six women have been charged with colluding with foreign forces and inciting riots. They have not yet been identified, even as the police raided their offices and homes and recovered documents and electronic communication devices. "The police operation is ongoing and the possibility of further arrests is not ruled out,' read a statement by the Hong Kong police.
China's crackdown against pro-democracy lawmakers
Hong Kong's Chief Executive John Lee has strongly asserted that eight pro-democracy activists who are living in other countries will be pursued for life in connection with alleged national security offenses. These activists are former pro-democracy lawmakers Nathan Law, Ted Hui and Dennis Kwok, advocate Kevin Yam, unionist Mung Siu-tat and activists Finn Lau, Anna Kwok and Elmer Yuen.
The Hong Kong Chief Executive also offered a reward of 1 million Hong Kong dollars for information leading to the capture of the activists. The new arrests are an indication of intensified efforts to crackdown on voices of dissent.
Last year, the defunct fund's former trustees, including Roman Catholic Cardinal Joseph Zen, singer Denise Ho and former pro-democracy lawmaker Margaret Ng, were arrested under Hong Kong's national security law. They were not charged with offenses related to the city's national security, but fined in a separate case of failing to register the Fund.
Over 260 people have been arrested under the National Security Law. The law was imposed in Hong Kong by Beijing in 2020, outlawing subversion, secession, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces. The move was seen as further curtailing dissent in the semi-autonomous Chinese city since massive protests over the law in 2019.
Hong Kong authorities have also arrested former members of Demosisto - a now-defunct political party co-founded by Nathan Law on similar charges of supporting overseas activists who allegedly endangered national security.
(with AP inputs)
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