Energy News
DEMOCRACY
Hong Kong police issue fresh bounties for activists overseas
Hong Kong police issue fresh bounties for activists overseas
by AFP Staff Writers
Hong Kong (AFP) Dec 24, 2024

Hong Kong police announced bounties on Tuesday of HK$1 million (around $130,000) for information leading to the arrest of six democracy advocates based overseas and accused of national security crimes.

Authorities also said they would cancel the passports of seven others for whom bounties had already been issued, including ex-lawmakers Ted Hui and Dennis Kwok, local media said.

Political dissent in Hong Kong has been quashed since Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law in 2020 after huge, sometimes violent pro-democracy protests the year before.

Many opposition figures fled abroad, while others have been arrested and sentenced to years in jail.

Tuesday's announcement is the third time authorities have offered rewards of HK$1 million for help capturing those alleged to have violated the city's national security laws.

The two previous rounds of bounties in July and December last year were met with intense criticism from Western countries, with Hong Kong and China in turn railing against "interference" from foreign countries.

The bounties are seen as largely symbolic given that they affect people living abroad in nations unlikely to extradite political activists to Hong Kong or China.

Five of the six people targeted on Tuesday are accused of inciting secession and collusion with a foreign country or external forces.

They range from 29-year-old Carmen Lau, a former district councillor now living in Britain, to former pollster Chung Kim-wah.

Victor Ho Leung-mau, a 69-year-old YouTuber who is now based in Canada, is charged with subversion.

"I just learned that I am now a wanted Hong Konger," Lau wrote on social media platform X.

"In 2019, (I) was not afraid of tear gas and bullets, and now I do not and will not back down only because of an arrest warrant and a bounty."

Hong Kong has previously cancelled the passports of other pro-democracy activists on its wanted list under its second national security law enacted in March.

China's foreign ministry said on Tuesday it supported Hong Kong "performing its duties in accordance with the law".

"Hong Kong is a society governed by the rule of law and no one has extrajudicial privileges," spokeswoman Mao Ning said.

Human Rights Watch, an NGO, in turn called the bounties "a cowardly act of intimidation".

"We call on the UK and Canadian governments to act immediately to push back against the Hong Kong government's attempts to threaten HongKongers living in their countries," associate China director Maya Wang said in a statement.

Related Links
Democracy in the 21st century at TerraDaily.com

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
DEMOCRACY
France's Macron announces fourth government of the year
Paris (AFP) Dec 23, 2024
French President Emmanuel Macron named a new government Monday evening, putting together a team under Francois Bayrou, his fourth prime minister of the year, to drag the second-largest EU economy out of political crisis. Macron named former prime minister Elisabeth Borne, 63, education minister in a new cabinet under centrist Bayrou. Another former premier, Manuel Valls, 62, returned as overseas territories minister, while former interior minister Gerald Darmanin became justice minister. Bot ... read more

DEMOCRACY
Changes in store for atmospheric rivers

ICEYE secures $65M funding extension reaching $158M total for 2024 investments

Earth AI unveils new gold discovery near molybdenum project at Willow Glen

Introducing Wherobots Raster Inference to unleash innovation with Earth imagery

DEMOCRACY
GPS alternative for drone navigation leverages celestial data

Deciphering city navigation AI advances GNSS error detection

China advances next-generation BeiDou satellite navigation system

Space Systems Command and U.S. Navy achieve major MGUE program milestone

DEMOCRACY
Stora Enso reports impairments of 724 mn euros

Amazon to benefit in Ecuador's second debt-for-nature deal

EU parliament gives final approval to deforestation ban delay

After decades of plantation agriculture, coconut palms dominate over half of Pacific atoll forests

DEMOCRACY
Breakthrough in sustainable energy with photochemical water oxidation

Significant progress in engineering biology for clean energy

IATA chief says sustainable plane fuel supply not enough

From chip shop grease to efficient fuel alternative

DEMOCRACY
A call for collaboration in solar energy meteorology research

Buried interface engineering drives advances in tin-lead perovskite solar cell efficiency

New solar material advances green hydrogen production

Training solar panels to adapt to wind conditions

DEMOCRACY
Secure cryptographic framework enhances collaboration in offshore wind energy

BP to 'significantly reduce' renewables investment

Baltic Sea wind farms impair Sweden's defence, says military

Sweden blocks 13 offshore wind farms over defence concerns

DEMOCRACY
Record year for coal in 2024, world's hottest year

Indonesia's new coal phase-out goal sets 'daunting task'

In Bosnia, the path to renewables runs through its coal mines

China expected to hit peak coal consumption in 2025: report

DEMOCRACY
Driver in central China car ramming handed suspended death sentence

On China's doorstep, Macau weaves an identity as integration looms

Xi to arrive in Macau for 25th anniversary of Chinese rule

China executes former regional official for corruption

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.