Two cabinet members in the administration of Prime Minister Mark Carney have criticized the recent move by Hong Kong police to issue arrest warrants for 19 activists residing outside the country and offer rewards for information leading to their apprehension. The individuals are accused of violating a national security law imposed by Beijing.
Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree issued a joint statement on Saturday expressing concern over Hong Kong’s actions, stating that they pose a threat to Canada’s sovereignty and the safety of its citizens. They condemned the attempt by Hong Kong authorities to engage in transnational repression and intimidation tactics against Canadians or those in Canada.
The activists, part of a group called Hong Kong Parliament, allegedly sought to promote self-determination and establish a “Hong Kong constitution” using unlawful methods to undermine China’s governing system. The city’s court granted arrest warrants for individuals such as Elmer Yuen, Johnny Fok, Tony Choi, Victor Ho, Keung Ka-wai, and others, at the request of the police.
The accused are believed to have organized or participated in overseas elections for the Hong Kong Parliament and been involved in the group’s formation. Despite identifying as the Hong Kong Parliament, the organization’s electoral committee was established in Toronto in 2022 and has limited influence.
Anand and Anandasangaree emphasized that those targeted by Hong Kong include Canadians and individuals with close connections to Canada. They reiterated Canada’s call for the repeal of the national security law and the withdrawal of related warrants and bounties.
Notably, the police have offered rewards of 1 million Hong Kong dollars for information leading to the arrest of certain activists and 200,000 Hong Kong dollars for the remaining individuals. Anand and Anandasangaree criticized the escalation of transnational repression by China through the issuance of international bounties, noting the troubling trend.
Additionally, the ministers highlighted the detection by Rapid Response Mechanism Canada of the amplified online dissemination of the bounties through coordinated efforts targeting Chinese-speaking communities. This recent development marks the third instance of international bounties issued by Hong Kong, following previous warrants for activists like Nathan Law and Ted Hui in the past two years.