The UK and Canada-based group, which is affiliated with the pro-democracy umbrellas movements of 2014 and 2019, is joined with claims by Hong Kong police to have offered HK$1m (£103,000 $129,000) for information enabling the arrest of six pro-democracy activists.
One of them is Tony Chung, a former leader of a pro-independence organization who fled to the UK last year.
Among them a former district councillor, an actor, and a YouTuber, the group have been pushing for greater democracy on the territory. All have been charged under the city’s national security law.
The UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, has described the move as “reprehensible”, arguing that the Hong Kong authorities should “end their targeting of individuals in the UK and elsewhere who stand up for freedom and democracy”.
“We will not accept any attempt by foreign governments to intimidate, threaten, harass or harm their critics abroad especially if those critics are in the UK,” he said, adding that the U.K. government would be “standing by those from Hong Kong who have fled to the U.K.”
Also wanted are former district councillor Carmen Lau and activist Chloe Cheung. Both are based in the UK and lobby on behalf of two NGOs advocating for greater democracy in Hong Kong.
Arrest warrants were also issued for political commentator and pollster Chung Kim-wah, who left Hong Kong for the UK in 2022, as well as two people based in Canada: former actor Joseph Tay, who runs the NGO HongKonger Station, and Youtuber Victor Ho.
Mr Ho has been charged with subversion while the other six have charged of inciting secession and collusion with a foreign country or external forces.
Hong Kong government-owned broadcaster RTHK said the warrants were issued by city’s police chiefs on Tuesday, who claimed that some of the wanted activists had repeatedly asked countries to apply sanctions and other restrictive measures against China and Hong Kong.
Mr Chung was found guilty in 2021 for incitement to secession in Hong Kong and was released in June last year.
He announced on Instagram on Tuesday that it was “an honour to become the first Hongkonger to be charged twice under the National Security Law”.
According to Mr Chung the news was not shocking to him as he violated the terms of a supervision order after being released from prison and fled to the UK last year.
“I knew this day would come. Even when I opted to leave Hong Kong, I knew I would be unable to come back for quite some time,” he noted.
Speaking to BBC Mr Chung said he was yet to receive approval on his asylum status from the UK government.
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