United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken has condemned Hong Kong authorities for putting bounties on 5 pro-democracy activists primarily based abroad, together with a US citizen, calling on the worldwide neighborhood to oppose “transnational repression”.
Blinken mentioned on Friday that the bounties of 1 million Hong Kong {dollars} ($128,000) for data resulting in the activists’ arrest confirmed Hong Kong authorities’ disregard for worldwide norms and human rights.
“We strongly oppose any efforts to intimidate and silence people who select to make the USA their residence and won’t waver in standing up for individuals who are focused merely for exercising their human rights,” Blinken mentioned in an announcement.
“We encourage the worldwide neighborhood to hitch us in condemning this act of transnational repression. The US stays dedicated to defending the rights and freedoms of all folks and calls on the PRC to behave in a fashion in keeping with its worldwide commitments and authorized obligations,” the highest US diplomat added, referring to the acronym of China’s official title, the Individuals’s Republic of China.
United Kingdom Overseas Secretary David Cameron earlier condemned Hong Kong authorities’ transfer as a “menace to our democracy and elementary human rights”.
Hong Kong authorities on Thursday introduced the rewards for details about Joey Siu, Simon Cheng, Frances Hui, Johnny Fok and Tony Choi, all of whom are needed below the Chinese language-ruled territory’s draconian nationwide safety regulation, which claims jurisdiction over the whole planet.
Hong Kong police Chief Superintendent Steve Li Kwai-wah mentioned the 5 had been suspected of incitement to secession, incitement to subversion, overseas collusion and had “betrayed their very own nation and betrayed Hong Kong”.
The 5 have advocated for democracy and civil liberties in Hong Kong from overseas following a sweeping crackdown on town that has criminalised virtually all opposition to Beijing.
Siu holds US citizenship, and Hui was granted asylum within the US in 2021.
Cheng, who was granted asylum by the British authorities in 2020, Fok and Choi all reside within the UK.
In April, Hong Kong authorities introduced bounties for data resulting in the arrest of eight different overseas-based Hong Kong activists, together with former lawmaker Ted Hui.
Siu mentioned on X she would “by no means be silenced” and would “by no means again down”.
Hui mentioned her advocacy for democracy and freedom “has not and won’t cease”, whereas Cheng described the fees in opposition to him as an “honour”.
Amnesty Worldwide mentioned on Thursday that the bounties had been “affirmation that the Hong Kong authorities’ systematic dismantling of human rights has formally gone international”.
China’s Ministry of Overseas Affairs on Friday hit again at criticism of the bounties, accusing Western governments of showing their “malicious intentions in messing up Hong Kong”.
About 300 folks have been arrested below Hong Kong’s nationwide safety regulation, which has drastically curtailed rights and freedoms which are supposed to tell apart town from the Chinese language mainland below an association often known as “one nation, two techniques”.
These arrested embrace Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai, the founding father of the defunct Apple Each day newspaper, who is ready to go on trial from Monday on expenses of colluding with overseas forces.