The father of a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist who fled to the United States has been arrested by Hong Kong authorities on charges of violating the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, known as the "Hong Kong version of the National Security Law," for allegedly helping his daughter secure funds for her escape.
According to major foreign media outlets on May 3, Hong Kong police announced that they had arrested two men, aged 68 and 35, on April 30 for violating the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.
Although the police did not disclose their identities, Hong Kong media, citing sources, reported that the two are the father and older brother of Anna Kwok, a 28-year-old pro-democracy activist currently residing in the United States.
Hong Kong media reported that the father met Anna Kwok overseas and, after returning to Hong Kong, attempted to claim an insurance payout of 110,000 Hong Kong dollars (approximately 20 million won) that Anna Kwok had signed up for, with the help of his son.
China's state-run Xinhua News Agency stated, "This is the first case in which Hong Kong police have applied the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance in connection with providing financial assistance to a fugitive."
Anna Kwok is a pro-democracy activist who participated in the large-scale anti-government protests in Hong Kong in 2019. She left Hong Kong in 2020 and is currently serving as the executive director of the non-profit organization Hong Kong Democracy Council (HKDC) in Washington, D.C., United States.
Anna Kwok is one of 19 overseas pro-democracy figures for whom the Hong Kong authorities have issued bounties on charges of violating the National Security Law. Hong Kong police have placed her on a wanted list for "colluding with foreign forces" to violate the National Security Law and have offered a bounty of 1 million Hong Kong dollars (approximately 180 million won) for her capture.
Alarmed by the 2019 anti-government protests in Hong Kong, Chinese authorities enacted the Hong Kong National Security Law, which allows for life imprisonment as the maximum penalty for four crimes: secession, subversion of state power, terrorist activities, and collusion with foreign forces.
In March last year, Hong Kong authorities enacted the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, a local law supplementing the Hong Kong National Security Law. The ordinance defines and stipulates penalties for 39 types of security-related crimes, including secession, subversion, terrorist activities, and collusion with foreign forces.
The law strengthens punishments for anti-government activities, including provisions for up to 14 years in prison for collusion with external forces and up to 10 years in prison for spreading false or misleading information in cooperation with foreign powers.
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