Hong Kong issues 'bounties' for 5 activists for security crimes

Hong Kong police on Thursday issued bounties of HK$1 million for each of five prominent activists currently living overseas, accusing them of national security crimes.

All five are living abroad after Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law on the financial hub in 2020 to quell dissent after massive, and at times violent, pro-democracy protests.

The five "have fled overseas and are suspected of offences under the national security law", said Chief Superintendent Li Kwai-wah of Hong Kong's National Security Department.

He added that they "betrayed their country, betrayed Hong Kong, disregarded the interests of Hong Kong people, and continue to endanger national security even when abroad".

"We have placed bounties of HK$1,000,000 ($128,000) on each of them," Li told reporters at a press conference, in which he showed pictures of the group.

Among the group was prominent activist Simon Cheng, who is currently in Britain and founder of the group Hongkongers in Britain.

The other four named were Frances Hui, Joey Siu, Fok Ka-chi, and Choi Ming-da.

Their charges include incitement to secession, incitement to subversion and foreign collusion, said Li.

This is the second time Hong Kong's police have issued hefty rewards in an effort to nab those accused of national security crimes.

In July, eight prominent activists also overseas --including pro-democracy lawmakers Nathan Law and Ted Hui-- were named as targets for the police, which offered rewards of HK$1 million each.

The United States, Australia and Britain --countries where some of the accused activists now reside-- had condemned the move from the Hong Kong government, with Washington calling it a "dangerous precedent".