Hong Kong pro-democracy activists granted asylum in the UK, Australia

Two Hong Kong pro-democracy activists have been granted asylum in the U.K. and Australia over the weekend, representing rare acknowledgments of persecution under the city’s national security law.

Catch up: Civil liberties in Hong Kong have been severely curtailed since Beijing enacted the national security law in 2020. The legislation was introduced following widespread pro-democracy protests in 2019, which led to the arrest and prosecution of hundreds of activists.

Ted Hui, a former lawmaker, and Tony Chung, a student activist, are part of a larger group facing arrest warrants and bounties reaching 1 million Hong Kong dollars ($127,800), though experts consider these offers largely symbolic given that most targets reside in nations lacking extradition treaties with Hong Kong.

Starting new lives: Hui announced Saturday that his family secured protection visas in Australia following their departure from Hong Kong in December 2020 amid pending trial proceedings related to the protests.

“I express my sincere gratitude to the Government of Australia — both present and former — for recognising our need for asylum and granting us this protection,” Hui wrote on social media. Now practicing law in Adelaide, Hui described the decision to Reuters as “recognition by the Australian government that human rights infringements and erosion of democracy and freedom actually happened.”

Chung’s announcement came Sunday, saying he was granted refugee status in the U.K. with a five-year residence permit. “After waiting for over a year and a half, I can finally begin to try to start a new life,” he posted on social media. Chung received a 43-month prison sentence in 2021 for secession and money laundering charges, making him the youngest person imprisoned under the security law at age 20.

Hong Kong objects: Hong Kong authorities summoned British and Australian consul generals for a Monday afternoon meeting with Chief Secretary Chan Kwok-ki, warning against “harboring offenders.”

“Any country that harbours Hong Kong criminals in any form shows contempt for the rule of law, grossly disrespects Hong Kong’s legal systems and barbarically interferes in the affairs of Hong Kong,” the government said.

Meanwhile, China’s foreign ministry specifically called Hui an “anti-China rioter wanted by the Hong Kong police” and urged other nations to “stop interfering in Hong Kong affairs.”