Hong Kong cancels passports of six pro-democracy activists exiled in the United Kingdom | Politics News

The six, including former lawmaker Nathan Law, are also banned from any business and financial transactions.

Hong Kong has canceled the passports of six pro-democracy activists who are exiled abroad under its recently enacted internal security law, calling them “lawless wanted criminals”.

The government said that in addition to canceling the “fugitives'” travel documents, the six were also banned from any commercial transactions in Hong Kong, including financial transactions ranging from cash to gold.

“These lawless wanted criminals are hiding out in the UK and continue to brazenly engage in activities that put national security at risk,” a government spokesperson said in a statement on Wednesday.

“They also make alarmist comments to defame and slander the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. Furthermore, they continue to conspire with external forces to protect their evil deeds. Therefore, we have taken these measures to deal them a strong blow.”

The six men, accused of crimes against national security in Hong Kong and wanted by police, include former lawmaker Nathan Law and British consulate employee Simon Cheng, who was detained for 15 days in China in August 2019. The others are labor rights activist Finn Lau. Christopher Mung, Fok Ka-chi and Choi Ming-da, according to the statement.

Writing on social media platform X, Lau said the move was “an explicit act of transnational repression” but would not stop him from campaigning for what he believed in. HKSAR, official name of Hong Kong.

“The act of repression does not prevent me from defending human rights and democracy,” he wrote. “The fighting spirit of Hong Kongers, including mine, remains.”

The territory’s legislature passed the security law, known as Article 23, in March, adding to a security law imposed by Beijing in July 2020 following mass protests that at times turned violent.

Hong Kong and Beijing say the laws have helped bring stability to the territory. Critics say they have decimated Hong Kong’s freedoms.

The government statement also warned people in Hong Kong that providing any type of financial assistance to the six, or having business relations with them, was a crime carrying a potential prison sentence of seven years.

Some of the activists have Patreon accounts.

Hong Kong police have offered to pay up to HK$1 million ($128,000) to anyone who provides information leading to the arrest of 13 pro-democracy activists living abroad, including the six men whose passports have been canceled.