Canadian groups supporting Hong Kong’s democracy movement are calling on the federal government to impose targeted sanctions after arrest warrants and bounties were issued for overseas activists, including Canadians.
The groups sent a letter to Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand on Friday urging Ottawa to sanction high-ranking Hong Kong police and government officials — including Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu, the current and former police commissioner, and sitting judges — who the activists say have played “critical roles in enforcing the region’s repressive policies.”
“The actions of these officials constitute a direct attack on the principles of democracy, human rights, and the rule of law,” reads the letter signed by Edmund Leung, who chairs the Vancouver Society in Support of Democratic Movement, on behalf of 10 pro-democracy groups across the country.
“Canada has a moral and legal obligation to respond decisively. By imposing these sanctions, Canada will send a strong message to the world that it stands firmly against human rights abuses and authoritarian overreach.”
The letter seeks sanctions against Hong Kong’s justice and security secretaries, the chief superintendent of national security, and 10 Hong Kong judges who the Canadian groups say are “complicit in judicial repression” by overseeing trials of pro-democracy activists.
A Crown prosecutor who played a “key role” in those prosecutions, Anthony Chau Tin-hang, is also named.
Hong Kong police announced on July 25 it had issued arrest warrants for 19 activists accused of “suspected contravention” of its National Security Law for their roles in promoting self-determination in the Chinese special administrative region.
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The law was imposed by Beijing in 2020 following widespread protests the year before, part of a crackdown on dissent that gave China much stronger control and influence in the region.
Some of the activists named, including Canadian Victor Ho, already faced warrants stemming from an announcement from Hong Kong in December, but now face a HK$1 million ($175,180) reward for information for their arrests.
Fifteen of the activists face a HK$200,000 ($35,036) reward, including Vancouver-based activist Keung Ka-wai.
The group of 19 activists includes a total of six people with ties to Canada, three of whom are Canadian citizens, Leung wrote.
Citizens of the United States and United Kingdom, as well as activists living in Europe, are also among those named by police, sparking condemnations from those countries’ top diplomats.
Anand and Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree said in a joint statement last month that Canada will not tolerate what it describes as an attempt for Hong Kong “to conduct transnational repression abroad.”
“The individuals targeted yesterday under the Beijing-imposed National Security Law in Hong Kong include Canadians and people with close ties to Canada,” their statement said.
“Canada reiterates its previous calls to repeal this law, which violates Hong Kong’s international human rights obligations, and withdraw all related warrants and bounties.”
On Friday, G7 members and associates — including Canada — issued a joint statement reiterating their condemnation of the arrest warrants, which the alliance said “undermines national security, state sovereignty, human rights, and the safety of communities.”
It did not say if any G7 partners planned to issue sanctions against Hong Kong officials or take any other action in response.
It said all members are “committed to strengthening our efforts to safeguard our sovereignty, to keep our communities safe, and to defend individuals from the overreach of governments trying to silence, intimidate, harass, harm or coerce them within our borders.”
“We encourage individuals to report suspicious activities and any incidents of intimidation, harassment, coercion, or threats to their law enforcement authorities in accordance with domestic laws and regulations,” the statement said.
The activists are alleged to have organized or participated in an election abroad for the Hong Kong Parliament, as well as setting up or becoming members of the group.
According to a Facebook statement by the group on Jun. 30, its election drew some 15,700 valid votes through mobile app and online voting systems. It said the candidates and elected members came from various regions, including Taiwan, Thailand, Australia, the U.S., Canada and Britain.
While the group calls itself Hong Kong Parliament, its electoral organizing committee was founded in Canada and its influence is limited.
Hong Kong police called on those wanted to stop their actions while they still can, saying that they hoped the activists “will take this opportunity to return to Hong Kong and turn themselves in, rather than making more mistakes.”
On Monday, authorities strengthened the crackdown by banning financial support to 16 of the 19 previously-named activists, including Canadians Ho and Keung, and cancelling passports for 12 of them.
A Hong Kong government spokesperson said the “lawless wanted criminals” are hiding in Canada, the U.K., the U.S., Germany, Australia, Thailand, Taiwan and other countries “and continue to blatantly engage in activities that endanger national security.”
Stricter penalties against activists under the law have slowly eroded the pro-democracy movement within Hong Kong, with many of its leaders either jailed or fleeing abroad. The last remaining political party affiliated with the movement, the League of Social Democrats, announced in June it had disbanded due to immense political pressure.
—with files from the Canadian Press and the Associated Press
