Even as the British government begins the process of resuming an extradition agreement with the autonomous Chinese city, the United Kingdom has condemned Hong Kong authorities for offering money to help with the arrest of pro-democracy activists living in Britain.
Following Hong Kong’s announcement of cash rewards for information leading to the arrest of 19 pro-democracy activists based abroad, including in Britain, who are accused of breaking Beijing’s strict national security law in 2020, Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper released a joint statement on Friday.
Lammy and Cooper urged China to stop focusing on the voices of the opposition in Britain in their statement.
The Hong Kong Police Force’s continued enforcement of arrest warrants and fines against UK residents is another example of transnational repression, according to their statement.
Depending on the suspect, the Hong Kong authorities will demand an arrest amount between $200 and $1 million (roughly $25, 000 to $125, 000).
This is the fourth time Hong Kong authorities have made reward offers, which have drawn strong opposition from Western nations, which China has since called “interference.”
The two British ministers stated in their statement that “this Government will continue to support the Hong Kong population, including those who have established their own [United Kingdom].” We take their safety, freedom, and rights very seriously.
Some people worry that a recent British government proposal to change extradition laws will lead to a resumption of extraditions to Hong Kong, which have been suspended since the passage of the 2020 national security law.
The UK Home Office submitted a letter to Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp the following day after the country’s laws regarding extradition were amended on July 17 at Al Jazeera’s report on Friday.
According to Security Minister Dan Jarvis’ letter from July 18: “It is in our national interest to have effective extradition relationships to prevent criminals from evading justice and the UK becoming a haven for criminals.”
According to the letter, which was shared on X by Conservative MP Alicia Kearns, the Home Office also intends to reinstate an extradition framework with Chile and Zimbabwe.
According to Jarvis, cases involving Hong Kong and Zimbabwe would both be taken into account “case by case.”
In the UK, a special visa program was introduced in 2021, which brought in about 150 000 Hong Kong nationals.
A new national security law, known as Article 23, was approved by Hong Kong’s legislators in 2024, giving the country new authority to repress all forms of opposition based on allegations of treason, espionage, sedition, and interference in Hong Kong’s internal affairs. Hong Kong has since then offered reward for the arrest of activists who have fled the city while facing charges related to the pro-democracy protests.
Due to its historical relationship and the sharp decline in political freedoms in Hong Kong since China enacted contentious national security legislation in 2020, the former British colony is a particular sticking point for the UK.
Source: Aljazeera
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