(Hong Kong) The Hong Kong government announced on Wednesday the cancellation of the passports of six pro-democracy activists in exile in the United Kingdom to escape the repression of dissent in the Chinese territory, the authorities calling them “criminals without faith law “.  

Since authorities cracked down on huge pro-democracy protests in 2019, the crackdown on dissent has intensified in Hong Kong after the passage of security laws that countries like the U.K. and U.S. say ended freedoms in the financial center.

Last year, the Hong Kong executive offered a reward of one million Hong Kong dollars (119,000 euros) for the capture of 13 pro-democracy activists who had taken refuge abroad, including these six people, accusing them of violations of the drastic national security law.

The six activists “continue to openly engage in activities that threaten national security […] We have therefore taken measures to deal them a severe blow,” a government spokesperson said in a statement, citing in particular “the ‘cancellation’ of their Hong Kong-issued passports.

“Their abhorrent behavior has seriously endangered national security, harmed Hong Kong’s fundamental interests and affected the principle of ‘one country, two systems’,” said Lin Jian, a spokesperson for Chinese diplomacy. .  

To justify this measure, the Hong Kong authorities invoked the second national security law which came into force in March, which stems from Article 23 of the “Basic Law”, the mini-Constitution of Hong Kong, obligating since 1997 local authorities to pass a law protecting national security.

Security chief Chris Tanga defended the “necessary” new measures, saying the militants were “hosted in the UK and continued to collude with foreign forces”.

Activist Finn Lau, for his part, explained that he only holds a British Overseas passport (BNO, “British National Overseas”), issued to Hong Kongers born before the handover of the colony to China in 1997, and that he did not have a passport issued by Hong Kong.

“It is ridiculous to cancel something that never existed,” he said in a statement published on the social network X.

Determined to continue “defending human rights and democracy,” he believes that “such recourse to the Article 23 order […] is an explicit act of transnational repression and another violation of the Sino Joint Declaration -British” which guarantees Hong Kong a high degree of autonomy “at least until 2047”.  

“You can cancel my passport, but you can never revoke my identity as a Hong Konger,” Mr. Mung said.

Nathan Law called the measure “superfluous” since he was granted asylum in the UK in 2021.

“As for other measures taken under (the national security law), if they cause concern among friends in Hong Kong, please put your personal safety first,” Mr Law wrote on Facebook.

Simon Cheng, who created the NGO Hong Kongers in Britain, said the Hong Kong authorities’ measures would have little effect on his daily life, but condemned his government for trying to “isolate him from (his) supporters and allies.”

Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee, sanctioned by the United States for his role as security chief in 2019, said wanted activists would be “pursued for life” and called on them to surrender.

The authorities specified that anyone providing funds, renting property or managing a business with these activists is liable to seven years of imprisonment.

Five other people were arrested in Hong Kong, accused of financially supporting wanted activists. They were then released on bail.  

Over the past year, around 40 family members and former colleagues of those wanted in Hong Kong have been questioned by police.  

Hong Kong’s announcement comes on the fifth anniversary of the pro-democracy movement that began in spring 2019.

In June 2020, Beijing imposed a first national security law to suppress the movement, leading to the arrest of nearly 300 people.