Hong Kong police arrest household of pro-democracy activist, experiences say

[ad_1] Police in Hong Kong have arrested the daddy and brother of US-based pro-democracy activist Anna Kwok for allegedly serving to along with her funds, in response to media experiences.

It's the first time the relations of an "absconder" have been charged beneath the territory's safety legislation, Reuters information company mentioned.

The authorities accused Ms Kwok, 26, of breaching Hong Kong's nationwide safety legal guidelines after collaborating in pro-democracy protests in 2019.

She fled the territory in 2020 and now serves because the Government Director of the Hong Kong Democracy Council (HKDC), an organisation primarily based in Washington DC.

Police mentioned that they had arrested two males aged 35 and 68 on suspicion of dealing with "funds or different monetary belongings" belonging to Kwok, Reuters mentioned.

Native media later recognized the 2 males as relations of Ms Kwok, citing police sources.

In keeping with a report by the South China Morning Put up (SCMP), police launched an investigation into the pair after observing that they had met Ms Kwok abroad.

The 68-year-old, recognized by native media as Ms Kwok's father Kwok Yin-sang, is accused of serving to his daughter deal with her insurance coverage coverage upon his return to Hong Kong.

In keeping with a cost sheet seen by Reuters, Kwok Yin-sang had been attempting to entry Ms Kwok's life and private accident insurance coverage coverage which could possibly be used to acquire funds on her behalf.

He has been denied bail by nationwide safety choose Victor So on the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts, Reuters reported.

The 35-year-old man, recognized by native media as Ms Kwok's brother, is accused of supporting their father's makes an attempt to retrieve the cash, Reuters mentioned.

He has reportedly been launched on bail pending additional investigation.

Underneath Hong Kong's Safeguarding Nationwide Safety Invoice, it's unlawful to "make accessible, straight or not directly, any funds or different monetary belongings or financial sources to, or for the advantage of, a related absconder".

In 2023, Hong Kong positioned a bounty on the heads of a number of pro-democracy activists - together with Ms Kwok - who had fled the territory.

The eight activists focused had been accused of colluding with overseas forces - against the law that may carry a sentence of life in jail.

On the time, Ms Kwok mentioned the bounty was geared toward intimidating her and her fellow activists.

"That is precisely the sort of factor the Hong Kong authorities and the Chinese language Communist get together would do - which is to intimidate individuals into not doing something, silencing them," she advised BBC's Newshour on the time.

The previous British colony turned a particular administrative area of China in 1997, when Britain's 99-year lease of the New Territories, north of Hong Kong island, expired.