China is swallowing once-free Hong Kong into its unforgiving dictatorship — and even trying to intimidate and capture dissidents who have fled to democratic countries.
The latest warrants and bounties are aimed at former lawmakers Nathan Law, Dennis Kwok and Ted Hui, lawyer Kevin Yam as well as activists Finn Lau, Anna Kwok, Elmer Yuan and unionist Mung Siu-tat. They have all been charged with “colluding with foreign forces,” except for Mr. Mung, who faces one charge of “inciting secession.” The police accused several of advocating sanctions that caused Hong Kong financial harm. The charges are based on Hong Kong’s national security law, enacted after protests in 2019 and 2020, giving city authorities wide latitude to arrest those who voice political dissent. Local police have already arrested 260 individuals for violations of the security law, convicting nearly 30 of them.
None of the new targets are now in Hong Kong. The United States, Britain and Australia vowed to fight the effort. Mr. Law said he felt “relatively safe” in Britain but would have to be more careful. On Twitter, he urged others: “We should not limit ourselves, self-censor, be intimidated, or live in fear.”