Hong Kong police issue new cash bounties for self-exiled activists, including a US citizen

Hong Kong CNN —

Hong Kong police on Thursday placed HK$1 million ($128,000) bounties on five more democracy activists living in self-imposed exile in a move condemned by the United States and United Kingdom.

Police accuse the five – including US citizen Joey Siu and Frances Hui, who has been granted asylum in the United States – of committing crimes endangering national security.

The other three wanted activists – Johnny Fok, Tony Choi and Simon Cheng – live in Britain.

Hong Kong police in July posted similar cash bounties for eight other self-exiled activists, who have continued to speak out against what they say is Beijing’s crackdown on Hong Kong’s freedoms and autonomy following its enactment of a sweeping national security law in 2020 in response to mass pro-democracy protests in the city.

All of those wanted now live in the US, Canada, Britain and Australia, which have suspended their extradition treaties with Hong Kong due to concerns over the law.

Steve Li, chief superintendent of the Hong Kong police national security department, told a news conference Thursday that the activists had called for Hong Kong independence and demanded international sanctions against Hong Kong and mainland Chinese officials.

“They have betrayed Hong Kong. They have betrayed their country,” he claimed. “[They have] ignored the interest of the Hong Kong people. And they continue to engage in acts endangering national security even though they have fled overseas.”

But the activists vowed to continue speaking out.

“I will never be silenced, I will never back down,” said Siu, the US citizen, on X, formerly Twitter.

Hui was also defiant. “Let me reiterate that my advocacy for democracy and freedom has not and will not stop,” she