A former British consulate staffer, Simon Cheng Man-kit, and four other Hong Kong activists are the latest to be put on the fugitive list by national security police, and each has a bounty of HK$1 million for their arrest.
Warrants were issued for Cheng, 33, arrested in the mainland in 2019, later released and then absconding to the United Kingdom, former Scholarism member Frances Hui Wing-ting, 24, former vice president of City University's student union Joey Siu Nam, 24, and YouTube channel hosts Johnny Fok Ka-chi, 42, and Tony Choi Ming-da, 46.
The five allegedly committed offenses including incitement to subvert state power and collusion with foreign forces.
Steve Li Kwai-wah, chief superintendent of national security, said yesterday the five betrayed their country and Hong Kong.
Li said Cheng established overseas political organizations Haven Assistance, Hongkongers In Britain and Hong Kong Shadow Parliament to advocate Hong Kong independence from August 2020 to June last year and had called for foreign sanctions against SAR officials, judicial and police officers as well as mainland officials.
Hui and Siu asked foreign countries to impose sanctions, blockade or engage in other hostile activities against China and Hong Kong, he said.
The remaining two fugitives, Fok and Choi, operated channel Tuesdayroad on a social media platform and published multiple video clips inciting secession and subversion, Li said.
Fok allegedly called on people to join foreign troops and even organize armies, while Choi urged them to seek military training overseas and advocate Hong Kong independence and overthrow the central government.
Fok and Choi "were also involved in an earlier case when they claimed they could help youngsters involved in protest-related cases flee Hong Kong and scammed them of hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong dollars, which was outrageous," Li alleged.
"We will target the assets of these fugitives and cut off their financial supply through all means to prevent them from continuing activities endangering national security overseas."
In July, police offered a total of HK$8 million in rewards for the arrests of eight security suspects living overseas - former legislators 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.
Meanwhile, police on Wednesday arrested four people who allegedly provided financial support - ranging from HK$10,000 to HK$120,000 - to Ted Hui and Nathan Law through an online subscription platform.
Senior superintendent Hung Ngan said the four - two men and two women aged 29 to 68 with jobs, including an elevator mechanic and a tutor - were arrested for providing financial backing to aid secession and were still being detained for investigation.
Asked if Hongkongers would break the law by subscribing to these fugitives online, Hung said it would depend on their intentions and behavior.
"If you are not sure whether your act constitutes an offense I suggest you immediately stop funding the fugitives, cancel the subscription and draw a clear line with them," he said. Li also said activist Agnes Chow Ting, who said she would jump bail and never return to Hong Kong earlier this month, has yet to break the law.
"I hope she can seize the opportunity to return to Hong Kong so she will not become a fugitive," he said. "Otherwise, if she does not return to Hong Kong and report to us on time we will put her on the wanted list."
Chow had claimed she was required by police to visit Shenzhen in exchange for the return of her passport.
The condition of bail "is not absolutely rigid and we are open to discussion," Li responded to that claim.
The Security Bureau said putting the five people on the wanted list was "in accordance with the law and fully justified," and police would take all necessary measures to "prevent, suppress and impose punishment for acts and activities endangering national security in accordance with the law."
A government spokesman said fugitives should not be under any delusion that they could evade criminal liabilities by absconding from Hong Kong.
