Carney’s ministers say Hong Kong’s new arrest warrants for exiles a risk to Canadians’ safety

Two ministers in Prime Minister Mark Carney’s authorities are condemning Hong Kong police’s new arrest warrants for 19 overseas-based activists and their provide of rewards for info resulting in their seize.

Officers have accused the activists of violating a nationwide safety regulation imposed by Beijing.

In a joint assertion Saturday afternoon, Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand and Public Safety Minister Gary Anandasangaree stated “the actions taken by Hong Kong threaten the sovereignty of Canada and security of the people in this country.”

“This attempt by Hong Kong authorities to conduct transnational repression abroad, including by issuing threats, intimidation or coercion against Canadians or those in Canada, will not be tolerated.”

On Friday, a Hong King police assertion stated the group, known as Hong Kong Parliament, aimed to advertise self-determination and set up a “Hong Kong constitution,” alleging it was utilizing unlawful means to overthrow and undermine China’s elementary system or overthrow the establishments in energy within the metropolis or China.

At the request of police, town’s courtroom issued arrest warrants for activists Elmer Yuen, Johnny Fok, Tony Choi, Victor Ho, Keung Ka-wai and 14 others. 

They are alleged to have organized or participated in an election overseas for the Hong Kong Parliament, in addition to establishing or changing into members of the group.

While the group calls itself Hong Kong Parliament, its electoral organizing committee was based in Toronto in 2022 and its affect is proscribed.

Anand and Anandasangaree stated the folks focused by Hong Kong authorities “include Canadians and people with close ties to Canada.”

The ministers additionally stated Canada reiterates earlier calls to repeal the nationwide safety regulation and withdraw all associated warrants and bounties.

Ministers say bounties amplified on-line

Among the 19 activists, police have already supplied 1 million Hong Kong {dollars} ($174,580 Cdn) for info resulting in the arrest of Yuen, Ho, Fok and Choi when warrants for separate actions have been issued.

For the remaining 15 folks, rewards of 200,000 Hong Kong {dollars} ($34,915 Cdn) have been supplied, urging residents to offer details about the case or the folks.

Anand and Anandasangaree stated this “marks the third time that international bounties were issued by Hong Kong and represents a deeply troubled escalation in the use of transnational repression by the People’s Republic of China.”

In their assertion, the ministers added that Rapid Response Mechanism Canada, which helps Canada’s international push to counter international state-sponsored disinformation, detected the bounties have been being amplified “in an inauthentic and co-ordinated way” by way of on-line accounts focusing on Chinese-speaking communities.

Hong Kong authorities have issued different arrest warrants over the previous two years for varied activists primarily based abroad, together with former pro-democracy lawmakers Nathan Law and Ted Hui.