customContents

entityId

entityUuid

articlePageQuery

filter

article

articleBaseAdvertisingInfoArticle

articleListArticle

articleSeoArticle

helpersCheckIsPostiesArticle

hooksArticleAcknowledgementGateOverlayArticle

hooksTrackPageViewArticle

hooksContentInterestArticle

articleLinkingDataContent

articleSchemaContent

liveArticle

advertZone

sentiment

contentLock

topics

types

sections

moreOnThisArticles

urlAlias

commentCount

sponsorType

authorLocations

authors

paywallTypes

corrections

displaySlideShow

multimediaEmbed

printHeadline

seriesContainer

socialHeadline

headline

flag

firstTopic

glossary

flattenTypeIds

publishedDate

additionalInfoBoxes

images

image

relatedLinks

relatedNewsletters

__typename

createdDate

sponsor

factSheets

series

knowledgeQuestion

disableOffPlatformContent

published

updatedDate

summary

subHeadline

body

keywords

copyrighted

customTimezone

liveContents

Clifford Lo

Dozens of Hongkongers have been placed on a police wanted list for alleged violations of the national security law, including people who were involved in crowdfunding drives, the Post has learned.
The news on Tuesday came a day after police offered rewards of HK$1 million (US$127,700) a head for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of eight opposition figures.
A government source said city residents suspected of offences under the national security law included people who had jumped bail and fled overseas after they were arrested by police.
“[Those being sought by national security police] are all Hong Kong residents. Some of them hold foreign passports, but have the right of abode in the city and are considered local citizens,” the source said.

He added they all left the city just before or after the law came into force in 2020 and that most of them were in Australia, Europe and North America at present.
Some of them have been involved in crowdfunding activities worldwide and the source said that one activist could raise hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong dollars in a month.
The source warned supporters could be considered to be in breach of the national security law if their donations were used to fund offences such as the promotion of secession or subversion.
But he admitted police could do little to stop that type of activity because the bank accounts used to collect donations were based outside Hong Kong.
He and another government source also admitted it was unlikely that overseas law enforcement agencies would help catch those on the list.
Hong Kong national security law: police offer HK$1 million rewards for arrest of 8
They explained they could be considered political refugees who were usually not listed as wanted through Interpol’s “red notice” programme.
National security police have arrested 260 people aged from 15 to 90 since the law came into force on June 30, 2020.
The force said 161 people and five companies had been charged. A total of 79 have been convicted.
The eight with a price on their heads are former legislators Nathan Law Kwun-chung, Dennis Kwok Wing-hang and Ted Hui Chi-fung, trade unionist Mung Siu-tat, lawyer Kevin Yam Kin-fung, and activists Finn Lau Cho-dik, Anna Kwok Fung-yee and Elmer Yuan Gong-yi.
Police said seven of the eight had appealed for international sanctions against Hong Kong.
Another source said the eight were singled out because they were alleged to have been involved in serious crimes.


They were also said to have taken part in activities that endangered national security to a greater degree than others on the wanted list.
But critics questioned the effectiveness of the bounty offer because the countries the activists lived in – Australia, Britain and the United States – had suspended extradition treaties with Hong Kong after Beijing’s imposition of the national security law on the city.
They added that alleged political offences were also usually exempted from extradition agreements.
The Post has learned that others on the wanted list include ex-legislator Sixtus Baggio Leung Chung-hang, former British consulate employee Simon Cheng Man-kit, as well as activists Sunny Cheung Kwan-yeung and Raymond Wong Toi-yeung.
Hong Kong security chief dares wanted activist Nathan Law to stand trial at home
Cheung is the former spokesman of the Hong Kong Higher Institutions International Affairs Delegation, who lobbied for the US to introduce the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act 2019, legislation which allowed for diplomatic action and economic sanctions against the city’s government.
Three others, Hong Kong independence campaigner Wayne Chan Ka-kui, Lau Hong, a former member of the disbanded separatist group Studentlocalism, and US-based Samuel Chu of the Hong Kong Democracy Council were also put on the list.
Chief Superintendent Steve Li Kwai-wah of the National Security Department on Monday appealed to wanted individuals to return to Hong Kong and surrender themselves, which would guarantee less severe penalties if they were convicted of offences.
Who are the 8 Hongkongers wanted over national security with HK$1 million bounties?
But he added that, under national security law provisions, they would also have to give a truthful account of any offences they were involved in and report any crimes committed by others.
The department has received more than 500,000 tip-offs about possible violations of national security legislation since a special hotline was launched in 2020.
The hotline was set up to give the public a way to relay information, photos, and audio and video clips by SMS, WeChat or email.
Police also stressed that they did not collect or disclose the details of anyone who contacted the hotline.


Hong Kong jails man for 14 months in third sedition conviction under domestic security law

Hong Kong police seize HK$25 million of cocaine in hotel room after ambushing suspect

Hong Kong teacher gets 16 months’ jail for taking more than 1,500 upskirt pictures, including of students

Hong Kong police arrest 55 in 3-day crackdown on triad-controlled businesses in Tuen Mun

Crime in Hong Kong

‘Dozens of Hong Kong residents’ on police national security ‘wanted’ list, including for crowdfunding drives

Sources say dozens of people are on police wanted list for national security offences after prices put on heads of eight alleged offenders. Photo: Dickson Lee

Police on Monday prepare for a press conference to announce HK$1 million bounties on eight alleged national security law offenders. Photo: Dickson Lee 

Hong Kong national security law: John Lee says HK$1 million police bounties for 8 wanted activists will send world ‘strong message’ suspects to be hunted for a lifetime

Police on Monday revealed the identities of the eight opposition figures sought. Photo: Dickson Lee

Chief Executive John Lee has thrown his weight behind police action to offer bounties for eight suspects. Photo: Sam Tsang

Foreign lawyers in national security cases still face Hong Kong’s immigration laws even if proposed vetting mechanism is not retrospective: deputy justice minister

The proposed changes could give Hong Kong’s leader the final say on the role of overseas counsel in national security cases. Photo: Sam Tsang

Deputy Secretary of Justice Horace Cheung. Photo: Natalie Wong

Jailed media tycoon Jimmy Lai. Photo: Winson Wong

News

Hong Kong

Law and Crime

Sources say all Hong Kong residents, but that most had fled the city, with majority in North America, Britain or Australia
Insiders also admit foreign law enforcement agencies are unlikely to help return alleged offenders to Hong Kong


Sources say dozens of Hong Kong residents wanted by police for alleged national security offences had fled city; majority in North America, Britain or Australia.


Exclusive | ‘Dozens of Hong Kong residents’ on police national security ‘wanted’ list, including for crowdfunding drives

Sources say all Hong Kong residents, but that most had fled the city, with majority in North America, Britain or Australia Insiders also admit foreign law enforcement agencies are unlikely to help return alleged offenders to Hong Kong

Sources say all Hong Kong residents, but that most had fled the city, with majority in North America, Britain or Australia

Insiders also admit foreign law enforcement agencies are unlikely to help return alleged offenders to Hong Kong