According to press reports, officers in Hong Kong have detained the father and brother of pro-democracy advocate Anna Kwok, who is reportedly helping with her budget.
According to Reuters news agency, this is the first time an “absconder “‘s family has been charged under the country’s security law.
After taking part in pro-democracy demonstrations in 2019, the government accused Ms. Kwok, 26, of breaking Hong Kong’s national protection laws.
She left the area in 2020 and is currently the executive director of the Washington, DC-based Hong Kong Democracy Council ( HKDC ).
According to Reuters, authorities said they had detained two men between the ages of 35 and 68 on fear of handling “funds or other monetary property” belonging to Kwok.
According to police sources, the two men were later identified as Ms. Kwok’s friends in local media.
According to a report from the South China Morning Post (SCMP), officers opened an investigation into the couple after finding out that they had met Ms. Kwok abroad.
Kwok Yin-sang, the 68-year-old’s papa, is accused of helping his child manage her comprehensive legislation upon his returning to Hong Kong.
Kwok Yin-sang had been attempting to access Ms. Kwok’s career and personal injury insurance policy, which could be used to get money on her behalf, according to a charge strip seen by Reuters.
At the West Kowloon Magistrates ‘ Courts, he has been denied loan by national security determine Victor But, according to Reuters.
The 35-year-old person, who has been identified by local press as Ms. Kwok’s brother, is accused of supporting their father’s tries to get the money, according to Reuters.
He apparently received loan while awaiting further research.
It is prohibited to “make accessible, directly or indirectly, any money or another financial assets or financial assets to, or for the advantage of, a important absconder,” according to Hong Kong’s Safeguarding National Security Bill.
Ms. Kwok and other pro-democracy protesters who had fled the country were given a reward in 2023 from Hong Kong.
The eight activists on the list were charged with conspiring with international forces, a crime that can result in a life sentence.
Ms. Kwok claimed that the reward was intended to intimidate her and other protesters at the time.
She told BBC Newshour at the time,” That’s exactly the kind of thing the Hong Kong government and the Chinese Communist party may do,” and that’s how they intimidate persons into doing nothing and silence them.
When Britain’s 99-year license of the New Territories, located northwest of Hong Kong area, expired, the former British colony was made a special administrative region of China in 1997.
Hong Kong also enjoys privileges that are unique to mainland China, but it is still commonly believed to be in decline.