December 20, 2023
We, the undersigned, representing Hong Kong civil society and human rights organizations across the world, condemn the Hong Kong National Security arrest warrants and bounties announced on 14 December 2023.
These Hong Kong National Security Police issued arrest warrants and bounties for five Hong Kong pro-democracy activists living overseas, are further evidence that this draconian law is being used extraterritorially and retrospectively to silence pro-democracy voices and intimidate the Hong Kong community overseas.
In particular, we condemn the targeting of peaceful pro-democracy activists Joey Siu, Frances Hui, and Simon Cheng.
We continue to condemn the targeting of Nathan Law, Dennis Kwok, Ted Hui, Kevin Yam, Anna Kwok, Finn Lau, Elmer Yuen, and Christopher Mung, and the bounties issued in their names and urge democratic countries to introduce measures to protect these individuals and the Hong Kong community as a whole from transnational repression at the hands of the People’s Republic of China.
This is the latest escalation in the National Security Law, which was imposed by Beijing in 2020 and has been condemned by many governments and multiple UN Committees. So far, 260 people have been arrested under the National Security Law.
This is also the latest escalation in transnational repression against Hong Kongers, many of whom have faced attacks and harassment from the Chinese Communist Party and its agents, across various jurisdictions.
We urge the governments of the United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and European Union countries, to introduce measures to protect the rights and freedoms of Hong Kong activists in exile, particularly those who have been granted asylum and faced past threats from Beijing.
We urge these governments, and in particular the governments of the United Kingdom and the United States of America where these five reside, to continue to reiterate that the Hong Kong National Security Law does not apply in their jurisdictions, and condemn the latest arrest warrants and bounties and reaffirm that they are not valid in their jurisdictions.
We urge these governments, and others, to raise the topic of Hong Kong in their recommendations to China at the UN Universal Periodic Review, which will take place on 23 January 2024.
Finally, we urge governments to suspend the remaining extradition treaties that exist between democracies and the Hong Kong and Chinese Governments and work towards coordinating an INTERPOL early warning system to protect Hong Kongers and other dissidents abroad. Hong Kong activists in exile must be protected in their peaceful fight for basic human rights, freedoms and democracy.
Signatories (in alphabetical order)
- Action Free Hong Kong Montreal
- AfricaHongKongFrance (AHKF)
- Alberta Uyghur Association
- Amnesty International UK
- Association of Hong Kongers in Western Australia
- Australia Hong Kong Link
- Australia Capital Hong Kong Association
- Australian Uyghur Association
- Blossom Community HK CIC 大樹下合作社
- Britons in Hong Kong
- Campaign For Uyghurs
- Canadian Friends of Hong Kong
- Center For Uyghur Studies
- Chicago Solidarity with Hong Kong 芝援香港
- China Aid Association
- Chinese Human Rights Defenders (CHRD)
- Committee for Freedom in Hong Kong Foundation
- Democracy for Hong Kong (D4HK)
- DC4HK (Washingtonians supporting Hong Kong)
- Freedom House
- Fight for Freedom. Stand with Hong Kong.
- Finnish Hongkongers
- Free Tibet
- Freiheit für Hongkong e.V.
- Germany Stands with Hong Kong
- Global Alliance for Tibet & Persecuted Minorities
- Halifax-Hong Kong Link
- Hackney Chinese Community Services (HCCS)
- HearthTalk UK
- HKersUnited
- Hong Kong Aid 港援
- Hong Kong Assistance and Resettlement Community (HKARC)
- Hong Kong Centre for Human Rights
- Hong Kong Committee in Norway
- Hong Kong Democracy Council
- Hong Kong Forum, Los Angeles
- Hong Kong International Alliance Brisbane (HKIA Brisbane)
- Hong Kong Labour Rights Monitor
- Hong Kong Outlanders in Taiwan
- Hong Kong Professional Network
- Hong Kong Revolution Power
- Hong Kong Watch
- Hong Kong in Chester
- Hongkonger in Deutschland e.V.
- Hongkongers in Britain 英國港僑協會
- HongKongers in Leeds
- Hong Kongers in San Diego
- Human Rights Foundation
- Human Rights in China
- Humanitarian China
- International Campaign for Tibet
- International Tibet Network
- Japan Hong Kong Democracy Alliance
- June 4 Sparks
- Lady Liberty Hong Kong
- Le Comité pour la Liberté à Hong-Kong
- Manchester Stands With Hong Kong
- New Yorkers Supporting Hong Kong
- NGO DEI
- Northern California Hong Kong Club
- Nottingham Stands with Hong Kong
- Philly4HK
- Power to Hongkongers
- Safeguard Defenders
- Salford HongKongers
- Scottish Hongkongers
- Southampton Hongkongers
- Students for a Free Tibet
- Students For Hong Kong
- Stop Uyghur Genocide
- Taiwan HK Association
- Texans Supporting Hong Kong – TX4HK
- The 29 Principles
- The Dissident Project
- The Hong Kong Scots
- Tibet Justice Center
- Tibet Solidarity
- Tibetan Community in Britain
- Tibet Initiative Deutschland
- Torontonian HongKongers Action Group
- Trafford Hongkongers CIC
- UK Uyghur Community
- US Hongkongers Club
- Uyghur Human Rights Project
- Victoria HongKongers Association (Australia) 澳洲維港
- We the Hongkongers
- World Uyghur Congress
