Hong Kong takes away family of wanted exiled activist Nathan Law for questioning

Hong Kong police on Tuesday (July 12) briefly took away three family members of the wanted exiled democracy activist Nathan Law for questioning. The Hong Kong national security police detained Law's parents and brother for questioning, local media reported. The move came a week after a bounty and arrest warrant was issued against Law, along with seven others.

The activists, all abroad, are accused of breaching the city's controversial national security law.

The police's national security department confirmed that two men and a woman were taken in for investigation, although their names were not disclosed, media reports said.

Accusations

According to the police statement, the detained individuals are suspected of assisting wanted persons in committing acts that endanger national security.

Authorities had offered a reward of HK$1 million ($128,000) for information leading to the arrest of the eight democracy activists.

A police source cited by media outlets revealedthat Law's parents and elder brother were brought in for questioning without formal arrest, and Law's residence was searched.

The purpose of their detention was to determine whether they provided financial support to Law and whether they acted as his agents in Hong Kong, police said.

City leader John Lee reiterated his call for the public to avoid the wanted activists and treat them as "rats in the street."

Law, who obtained asylum in Britain in 2021, did not respond to requests for comment from the media.

In the past, Law has accused Hong Kong of using national security as a means to suppress dissenting voices. It is worth noting that Law had previously severed ties with his family and claimed to have no contact with them after leaving Hong Kong in 2020.

International criticism

The United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, where the wanted activists currently reside, have criticised the issuance of bounties by Hong Kong authorities.

The controversial national security law in Hong Kong refers to the legislation imposed by the Chinese government in June 2020. The law is officially titled the "Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region."

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The law was introduced in response to the pro-democracy protests that occurred in Hong Kong in 2019, and it aims to address what the Chinese government perceives as threats to national security in the territory.

The law criminalises acts of secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces. It grants broader powers to the police and mainland Chinese authorities, including the establishment of a national security office in Hong Kong to oversee enforcement.

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