Politics

Treat 8 pro-democracy activists like ‘street rats,’ says Hong Kong leader

Beijing, July 11 (EFE).- Hong Kong’s Chief Executive John Lee Tuesday said the eight exiled pro-democracy activists wanted by police should be treated like “street rats.”

“The eight wanted criminals have committed Hong Kong national security law, endangered national security and been involved in serious crimes,” Lee told reporters. “As I have said, everyone should treat them as street rats and avoid (them) at all costs.”

He said the police had received information about the exiled pro-democracy activists and would expand the investigation to include those who support them “behind the scenes,” Hong Kong Free Press quoted him.

Lee stressed that the police pursuits for the activists would be “lifelong” and that authorities would “exhaust all methods” to arrest them.

The remarks statements by the chief executive of the former British colony came as police questioned relatives of Nathan Law, one of the eight wanted activists.

Law’s parents and brother, questioned by the authorities, have already left the police premises.

The media in the semi-autonomous territory said Law’s relatives denied to the Police that they were providing financial support to the activist.

On July 3, the Hong Kong police offered one million Hong Kong dollars (nearly $128,000) to those who provided information leading to the arrest of the eight activists exiled abroad.

They are all suspected of violating the National Security Law, which Beijing imposed on the former British colony.

The eight suspects, including Nathan Law, are in Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

They are former lawyers and activists wanted by the Hong Kong Police for cases of “collusion with foreign forces” and inciting secession.

Under the controversial national security law imposed by Beijing, which came into force on June 30, 2020 following mass anti-government protests in 2019, the charges can carry life sentences for crimes of secession, terrorism, and collaborating with foreign forces. EFE

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