Hong Kong has strongly opposed and disapproved of “untrue and biased” remarks by the G7 regarding the city’s latest round of bounties and arrest warrants on overseas activists.
A government spokesman said on Saturday that those “absconders hiding outside Hong Kong are wanted and subject to arrest warrants issued by the court, not because they ‘exercised freedom of expression’, but because they continue to blatantly engage in activities endangering national security there”.
The G7 statement was issued by its Rapid Response Mechanism unit, set up in 2018 to fight threats to democracy, such as foreign interference. In addition to members of the Group of Seven – Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United States – the European Union and RRM associate members Australia, New Zealand, the Netherlands and Sweden endorsed the message.
“The authorities issued arrest warrants and bounties on individuals outside Hong Kong’s borders, including in G7 RRM countries, for exercising their freedom of expression,” the unit said.
“This form of transnational repression undermines national security, state sovereignty, human rights, and the safety of communities.”
The Hong Kong government said fugitives should not believe they could escape consequences by fleeing the city, stressing that it had the responsibility to pursue those suspected of committing crimes endangering national security outside of Hong Kong.
“Ultimately, they will be liable for their acts constituting serious offences endangering national security and be sanctioned by the law,” the spokesman said.
