Marking one year since #HongKong enacted the contentious #SafeguardingNationalSecurityOrdinance (#SNSO), more commonly known as Article 23, Hong Kong Watch along with 20 other #humanrights and diaspora organizations have issued an urgent appeal to #UK Prime Minister #KeirStarmer to address rising transnational repression targeting Hong Kong activists in Britain.
In their joint letter dated 19 March 2025, the coalition emphasizes the extensive extraterritorial reach granted by Article 23, allowing the Hong Kong government to target activists overseas. Sam Goodman, Hong Kong Watch Advisor and former Director of Policy and Advocacy, highlighted the “extensive powers available for transnational repression” under the new law, which has already impacted at least 13 Hong Kong activists abroad, who saw their passports revoked under the #Beijing (#CCP)imposed 2020 National Security Law.
Adding to this alarming trend, Hong Kong officials have issued arrest warrants with HK$1 million (£99,000) bounties on 19 exiled activists under the earlier Beijing-imposed 2020 National Security Law. Seven of these activists currently reside in the UK, including prominent Hong Kong Watch Advisors Finn Lau and Ted Hui. The SNSO further empowers the Hong Kong government to freeze activists’ bank accounts and criminalize financial interactions with these individuals, significantly amplifying the threat to activists and their families.
Finn Lau, a high-profile activist targeted by these repressive measures, expressed grave concerns:
“The UK is home to hundreds of thousands of British National (Overseas) Hong Kongers who fear the extensive reach of Hong Kong authorities and the Chinese Communist Party. The UK’s current approach falls dangerously short. It is imperative that Prime Minister Starmer adopts our recommendations and ensures robust protection for diaspora communities and activists on UK soil.”
The letter strongly urges the UK government to implement concrete measures, including establishing a dedicated hotline and reporting mechanism to handle instances of transnational repression. It also calls for increased training and capacity-building for law enforcement agencies such as the Police and Border Force, ensuring that they can effectively recognize and address such threats.
The activists stress that without immediate and decisive action, the UK risks becoming an unsafe haven, undermining the rights and security of countless individuals who fled Hong Kong seeking refuge from political persecution.
