Wished Hong Kong activist says mother and father ‘harassed, intimidated’
HONG KONG: Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Anna Kwok mentioned Wednesday that her mother and father have been “questioned, harassed and intimidated” by authorities, weeks after officers accused her and 7 others of endangering nationwide safety.
Hong Kong final month supplied bounties of HK$1 million ($128,000) for data resulting in the arrest of eight distinguished democracy activists now dwelling overseas, accusing them of subversion, overseas collusion and different crimes.
Police confirmed to AFP that its nationwide safety division on Tuesday “took away a person and a girl for investigation” associated to nationwide safety crimes, with out naming them.
Kwok, government director of the non-profit Hong Kong Democracy Council, apologised Wednesday to her mother and father in a press release for getting them concerned.
“Yesterday my mother and father have been questioned, harassed and intimidated. Regardless that I really feel apologetic, I have to say this can be a value I anticipated to pay,” mentioned Kwok, who relies in america.
Members of the family of a minimum of 4 different needed activists — former lawmaker Nathan Legislation, unionist Mung Siu-tat, lawyer Dennis Kwok, and activist Elmer Yuen — have been taken in for police questioning over the previous weeks.
Police additionally arrested a minimum of seven folks in Hong Kong with ties to the now-disbanded political group Demosisto, which Legislation used to steer.
Kwok mentioned she would proceed to withstand and referred to as on Hong Kongers to confront fears stemming from the political atmosphere.
“I select to beat my concern and proceed to grab the initiative for my life,” she mentioned.
Kwok’s mother and father have been allowed to depart the police station after questioning on Tuesday and weren’t arrested, in response to native media.
The bounties issued by Hong Kong police have incited an outcry from america, Britain and Australia — all international locations the place the eight activists live.
Kwok instructed AFP in an interview final month that she had lobbied the administration of US President Joe Biden to bar Hong Kong chief John Lee from attending the upcoming APEC summit in San Francisco.
The bounties have been meant to “intimidate” the activists and to immediate pro-Beijing segments of the inhabitants to “carry us inconveniences and even bodily threats”, she mentioned.
Police have arrested 260 folks below the nationwide safety legislation imposed by Beijing in 2020, with 79 of them convicted or awaiting sentencing in Hong Kong.
