Canada slams Hong Kong’s arrest warrants for overseas activists, calling them a threat to national sovereignty and citizen safety.
Ministers Condemn Transnational Threats
Two senior Canadian ministers issued a sharp rebuke Saturday after Hong Kong police released new arrest warrants and bounties for 19 overseas-based pro-democracy activists. Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree described the move as a threat to Canadian sovereignty and the security of individuals living in the country.
New Arrest Warrants Target Canadians
The arrest orders, issued under Hong Kong’s controversial national security law imposed by Beijing, accuse the group—known as the Hong Kong Parliament—of attempting to subvert China’s political system. Several individuals named have Canadian citizenship or strong ties to Canada. The group, although largely symbolic, was founded in Toronto in 2022 and has limited reach.
Financial Bounties Spark Global Concern
Hong Kong police announced rewards for information leading to the arrest of the activists, offering HK$1 million (CAD$174,580) for four prominent figures—Elmer Yuen, Victor Ho, Johnny Fok, and Tony Choi—and HK$200,000 (CAD$34,915) for the remaining 15. The Canadian ministers warned this marks an escalation in efforts by the People’s Republic of China to silence dissent beyond its borders.
Canada Demands Repeal of Security Law
In their joint statement, Anand and Anandasangaree reiterated Canada’s long-standing demand that China repeal the national security law, which has been widely criticized for eroding Hong Kong’s autonomy and suppressing political opposition. The ministers also called for the immediate withdrawal of all international warrants and associated bounties.
Online Amplification Raises Disinformation Concerns
The ministers revealed that Canada’s Rapid Response Mechanism (RRM)—an initiative that monitors foreign interference—detected a coordinated online campaign amplifying the bounties. The posts, primarily targeting Chinese-speaking communities, were flagged for inauthentic behavior designed to intimidate or discredit the activists abroad.
Context of Escalating Repression
This is the third instance in which Hong Kong has issued international bounties under its national security law. Previous targets have included former pro-democracy lawmakers Nathan Law and Ted Hui. Analysts see the move as part of a growing pattern of transnational repression by Chinese authorities against critics based overseas.
As Hong Kong continues to expand its crackdown on dissent abroad, Canadian officials are pushing back firmly against what they describe as foreign interference and intimidation. With Canadian citizens now directly implicated, the diplomatic standoff over human rights and sovereignty shows signs of deepening.
