Hong Kong activist: family harassment is 鈥減ainful鈥�
Fugitive Nathan Law denounces the 鈥渙utrageous鈥� persecution of Hong Kong activists and their families
A pro-democracy activist, who is wanted by the Hong Kong government, has told HARDtalk that persecution there is 鈥済etting more and more similar to mainland China鈥�. Nathan Law says it is 鈥渙utrageous鈥� that many of his colleagues are 鈥渂eing put in jail for years just because of speaking up against the government鈥�. But what is 鈥渕ore scary鈥� is that families of activists, including his own, are facing persecution.
Mr Law鈥檚 parents and brother were recently interrogated by police and he accused the authorities of 鈥渢rying to fabricate a scenario鈥� where his family appear to be 鈥渁ctively supporting鈥� his work. Speaking to Stephen Sackur, he said such allegations are 鈥渁bsolutely false鈥� and that the government cannot 鈥減rovide any evidence鈥�.
Mr Law, who previously served on Hong Kong鈥檚 Legislative Council, is among eight activists on whom police have placed a bounty of HK$1 million (拢100,581; $127,637). Law has been accused of 鈥渋ncitement to secession and collusion with foreign forces to endanger national security鈥�. He said he had made the 鈥渄ifficult choice鈥� to 鈥渃ontinue to speak up鈥�. His hope is that one day people in Hong Kong and China 鈥渃an enjoy freedom and democracy鈥�.
In 2020 Law fled to the UK, issuing a public statement that he was 鈥渟evering ties鈥� with his family in order to protect them. They still 鈥渄on't have any direct communication鈥� and he finds it 鈥減ainful鈥�. He noted that this is how 鈥渢he Chinese government wants鈥� him to feel. They 鈥渢hreaten you by going after your family so you can stop criticising them鈥�, Law added. Hong Kong鈥檚 Chief Executive John Lee has vowed that the wanted activists will be 鈥減ursued for life鈥� like 鈥渞ats on the streets鈥�.
