$8m reward for arrest of eight

An HK$8 million reward is being offered for the arrest of eight national security suspects living overseas. Police have obtained court warrants.

The eight - former lawmakers Nathan Law Kwun-chung, Dennis Kwok Wing-hang and Ted Hui Chi-fung, along with lawyer Kevin Yam Kin-fung and activists Elmer Yuen Gong-yi, Mung Siu-tat, Finn Lau Cho-dik and Anna Kwok Fung-yee - have a HK$1 million bounty each.

It is the first reward on offer since the national security law came into effect on June 30, 2020.

Speaking at a news conference yesterday, chief superintendent Li Kwai-wah of the police national security department said the suspects committed serious offenses to endanger national security. These included colluding with foreign forces, calling for foreign sanctions on officials, judges and prosecutors in Hong Kong and advising overseas countries on how to attack Hong Kong's status as an international financial center.

It is understood that Law, Lau and Mung are in the United Kingdom, Yuen, Dennis Kwok and Anna Kwok are in the United States, and Yam and Hui in Australia.

Li urged the eight to surrender themselves and cooperate with authorities so they may receive a lenient sentence.

"We hope they can cherish this opportunity of receiving a lighter penalty, come back to Hong Kong and surrender themselves," he said.

Senior superintendent Hung Ngan said police have evidence of the suspects' offenses. Police have the power to freeze and confiscate their bank accounts and assets under the national security law, Hung said. But he did not say whether police had already done so.

Hung said national security officers would continue to track the partners, sponsors and sources of income of the eight. Li also said the police have arrested 260 people aged 15 to 90 - 198 men and 62 women - since the national security law was imposed three years ago.

A total of 161 individuals and five companies have been prosecuted, with 79 convicted.

Sources said police offered the rewards mainly to target the suspects' partners and supporters in Hong Kong.

Police now have a reason to arrest those who helped them flee overseas, offered them shelter and transferred money to them. People who provide information about a suspect that leads to arrest and prosecution can receive the whole HK$1 million reward. Those providing useful information can receive part of the reward, sources said.

Yam told Reuters that police want to show the national security law has an extraterritorial effect.

"I miss Hong Kong but as things stand no rational person would be going back," he said. "It's my duty to continue to speak out against the crackdown that is going on right now, against the tyranny that is now reigning over the city that was once one of the freest in Asia."

Hui told Agence France Presse the bounty is "ridiculous and hilarious." He added: "It even makes it clearer to Western democracies that China is headed toward a more extreme authoritarian [direction] and [is posing] more of a threat to the world."

The Security Bureau said putting the eight on the wanted list is fully justified. It added: "As the national security law has extraterritorial effect, police have the responsibility to pursue the liability of those who have allegedly committed offenses outside Hong Kong."

Editorial: Page 4