Hong Kong police raid exiled activist’s family home

Officers from the National Security Department brought in Nathan Law’s parents and elder brother for questioning.

Pro-Chinese authorities issued a $HK1m ($190,000) bounty last week for information leading to the capture of Nathan Law and seven others. Picture: AFP

Hong Kong police have raided the family home of Nathan Law, the exiled pro-democracy activist, and taken his parents and brother in for questioning as a campaign against alleged “fugitives” continues.

The pro-Chinese authorities issued a $HK1m ($190,000) bounty last week for information leading to the capture of Mr Law and seven others accused of breaking the territory’s draconian national security law.

Mr Law, 29, is one of three democracy activists who settled in Britain after fleeing Hong Kong, following months of pro-democracy protests, to avoid arrests under the law that prohibited dissent against China .

Officers from the National Security Department brought in Mr Law’s parents and elder brother for questioning.

Police threatened to formalise their questioning as arrests.

A spokesman said the three were “suspected of assisting persons wanted by police to continue to commit acts and engage in ­activities that endanger national security”. They were allowed to leave after giving statements.

Mr Law said: “I can firmly declare that the involved parties have no financial connection with me, and my work is totally unrelated to them. The idea of ‘getting assistance from them’ is completely absurd.”

The authorities announced warrants last week and offered bounties on the eight activists now based abroad, accusing them of subversion, foreign collusion and other crimes.

The eight are split between Britain, the US and Australia, all of which have condemned an intimidation tactic by the former British territory.

Mr Law and two other British-based activists, Christopher Mung and Finn Lau, expressed concern the authorities might target their families to pressure them or force them to return. Mr Law said in 2020 that he was no longer in contact with his family.

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly vowed to do everything needed to ensure their safety, prompting Beijing to accuse Britain of sheltering terrorists.

Mr Law, granted asylum in Britain in 2021, said after the bounties were announced that Hong Kong abused the concept of national security to suppress dissident voices. Mr Lau expressed fears the bounty could incentivise their abduction by agents working for Beijing.

China has previously kidnapped Uighur activists overseas and returned them to the country for incarceration.

Beijing imposed the national security law on Hong Kong in 2020 after months of sometimes violent pro-democracy protests, prompting Western countries to cancel extradition treaties.

The Times