Global condemnation has been directed at Hong Kong police after the recent announcement of arrest warrants and bounties for eight exiled pro-democracy activists. The warrants were issued under the Beijing-imposed National Security Law which has already seen the arrest of high-profile media tycoon Jimmy Lai. The United Kingdom, Australia and the United States have all expressed concern at the extraterritorial application of the law.

The eight pro-democracy activists are accused of “collusion with foreign forces” and the Hong Kong police have offered a bounty of 1 million Hong Kong dollars ($127,600) for information leading to their capture. Among those living in the UK is Nathan Law, the youngest person ever elected to Hong Kong’s legislature.

He has told the BBC that he now needs to be “more careful” as a result of the warrants. The National Security Law criminalises activities deemed to be secession, subversion and collusion with foreign forces and was introduced after mass protests in support of democracy swept the territory in 2019. Australia’s Foreign Minister Penny Wong has said Canberra is “deeply disappointed” at the latest warrants and that they have “consistently expressed concerns about the broad application of the National Security Law to arrest or pressure pro-democracy figures and civil society”. Human Rights Watch has also urged Hong Kong to drop the charges and bounties, calling the offering of a cross-border bounty an “attempt to intimidate activists and elected representatives outside Hong Kong who speak up for people’s rights against Beijing’s growing repression”.

Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee has brushed off criticism and told reporters the eight would be “pursued for life”. Critics have expressed alarm at the existence of suspected Chinese police stations operating in democratic countries in Europe and North America. China has claimed they are “service centres” for Chinese citizens needing help with administrative tasks.

The warrants and bounties issued by Hong Kong police have been met with widespread condemnation from countries around the world. The extraterritorial application of the Beijing-imposed National Security Law has been widely criticised as a dangerous precedent that threatens the human rights and fundamental freedoms of citizens everywhere. With the eight activists still living in exile, the Hong Kong police have vowed to pursue them “for life”.