Save articles for later
Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time.
Police in Hong Kong have taken the family of exiled activist Nathan Law away from questioning, one week after placing a bounty on his head and seven other democracy campaigners who fled overseas following Beijing’s crackdown on the territory.
Local media reported that Law’s parents and brother were taken from their homes for questioning and later released.
Hong Kong activist Nathan Law.Credit: AP
Comment was sought from Hong Kong police.
Law, who was granted political asylum in the UK where he is now based, has not yet commented.
He has previously said he has cut off all communications with his family in Hong Kong for their own safety.
The Chair of the UK House of Commons Foreign Affairs committee Alicia Kearns said the move was “utterly outrageous.”
“Clearly an attempt to lure Nathan Law to return to Hong Kong so he can be silenced in Hong Kong prisons,” Kearns said.
“The UK should have called in the [Chinese] Ambassador last week when a bounty was put on Nathan’s head.”
Hong Kong police last week offered bounties worth $HK1 million ($192,000) for information about eight activists who fled Beijing’s security crackdown on the territory for Australia, Britain and the US.
The move was slammed as “ridiculous and hilarious.”
China imposed the national security law on Hong Kong in June 2020 amid widespread anti-government protests to crack down on any dissent.
Among its targets were journalists, lawyers democracy activists and members of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council. Law was the Council’s youngest-ever member.
Britain says Beijing’s national security law violates the 1984 handover agreement which Beijing signed and is recognised under international law.
The international community has been powerless in forcing Beijing to honour the One Country, Two Systems model it agreed to ahead of the 1997 handover.
Get a note direct from our foreign correspondents on what’s making headlines around the world. Sign up for the weekly What in the World newsletter here.
Most Viewed in World
From our partners
Source: Read Full Article
