UK Condemns Hong Kong Rewards Targeting Overseas Activists

The United Kingdom has strongly condemned Hong Kong authorities for offering cash rewards ranging from approximately $25,000 to $125,000 for information leading to the arrest of 19 pro-democracy activists living abroad, including in Britain. Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Home Secretary Yvette Cooper described these bounties as an example of transnational repression and called on China to cease targeting opposition voices in the UK. These activists are accused of violating the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020, which followed the 2019 anti-government protests. This is the fourth time Hong Kong has issued such rewards, drawing criticism from Western countries while China has denounced these criticisms as interference. The UK government emphasized its commitment to protecting the rights, freedoms, and safety of Hong Kong residents who have moved to Britain, especially under a special visa scheme introduced in 2021. However, concerns have been raised over a recent UK proposal to reform extradition laws, which some fear could lead to the resumption of extraditions to Hong Kong, currently suspended due to the national security law.