Hong Kong issues arrest warrants for six overseas democracy activists, including US citizen, state media report

The issuance of the order appears to mark the first time authorities have used the new national security law, imposed by Beijing on June 30, to target out-of-town activists.

Chinese state broadcaster CCTV reported that the six were wanted on suspicion of inciting secession and clashes with foreign countries, but gave no further details. In response to a CNN request for comment, a Hong Kong Police spokesman said “police do not comment on media reports”

U.S. citizen Chu, who is the chief executive of the Hong Kong Democracy Council, a Washington DC-based advocacy group that promotes freedom and autonomy for Hong Kong, appears to be the first non-Hong Kong citizen to be targeted by the law. new security.

In a Twitter post on Friday, Chu said ordering his arrest, China was effectively targeting a U.S. citizen for lobbying his government. “I may be the first non-Chinese citizen to be targeted, but I will not be the last. If I am targeted, every American / every citizen of every nation talking about HK can-and will also be “We’re all Hong Konggers now,” he added.

According to Chu’s biography, he has lived in the US as an American citizen for 25 years. In a statement posted online, the China Commission of the United States, a congressional executive body that monitors human rights and the rule of law in China, called on the Hong Kong government to overturn the order and that the United Nations start urgent talks on national security law and deteriorating human rights conditions in Hong Kong.

The Hong Kong government has defended the law as necessary to protect national security, and promised it would affect only a small number of people.

“The national security law is an important step in ending the chaos and violence that has taken place over the past few months,” said Carrie Lam, the city’s chief executive, in July. “It’s a law that was introduced to keep Hong Kong safe. The legislation is legal, constitutional and reasonable.”

The announcement of the arrest warrants comes after Hong Kong disqualified 12 pro-democracy candidates from standing in the now-postponed legislative elections, including pro-democracy leader Joshua Wong.

The Hong Kong government announced on Friday survey, which was scheduled to take place in September, would be delayed by a year citing concerns about the city’s ongoing coronavirus outbreak. However, activists have claimed that the government is using the pandemic as an excuse to postpone the election to avoid a possible defeat.

In recent weeks, several countries have suspended their extradition treaties with Hong Kong, including the United Kingdom and Australia. On Friday, Germany joined that list following the city’s decision to postpone the election, according to German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas.

Who are the wanted activists?

Law, former lawmaker and democracy activist who was the leader of the Umbrella Movement 2014, said on his Facebook page“I have no idea what ‘my crime’ is and I do not think it matters either. These are accusations taken. Maybe, after all, the answer is that I love Hong Kong very much.”

The law left Hong Kong for London, the national security law immediately went into effect, saying he left for his own safety, but vowed to continue fighting for the democratic future of the territory. He was elected as lawmaker in 2016 but was disqualified from office by Hong Kong courts after Beijing passed a power rarely used to “interpret” the city’s constitution.

The law said that after leaving Hong Kong he had to “sever” his relationship with his family.

“I was prepared when I left Hong Kong to be in exile; but this becoming a reality still frustrates, empowers and frightens me. Indeed, who can enjoy freedom from fear in the face of China’s powerful political machine?” ” he said on social media. “What we can choose is how to respond to this fear: For me, it ‘s action.”

Other targeted activists include Simon Cheng, a former British consulate employee in Hong Kong who was granted asylum in the UK after claiming he was tortured in China and questioned by secret police about pro-democracy protests. city, and Hong Kong pro independence activists Ray Wong, Honcques Laus and Wayne Chan.

Wong, who was granted asylum in Germany in 2018, said on his official Twitter account that he “no longer has a lawyer” for Hong Kong’s independence from mainland China and has not said anything about independence since implementation of national security law on 1 July.

Wong accused the Hong Kong government of retroactively enforcing the law, saying “The only reason I was asked to ‘incite secession and clash with foreign forces’ should be based on my activities before the NSL comes into force. “

The mayor of Lam and other Hong Kong officials have repeatedly said the law “will have no retroactive effect”.

Laus, who said in a Facebook post that he is in the UK, called the arrest warrant “political persecution” and said he “will continue to express my political opinion freely”. He called on the international community to “impose sanctions” on the governments of Hong Kong and China, including Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Journalist Vanesse Chan contributed to this report.

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