8 persons wanted by Hong Kong police for alleged contravention of national security law in Hong Kong

HONG KONG, July 3 (Xinhua) -- The Hong Kong Police Force said on Monday that it had earlier applied to the court for arrest warrants and put eight persons who allegedly contravened the national security law in Hong Kong on the wanted list.

The eight persons are Yam Kevin, Yuan Gong-yi, Kwok Fung-yee, Kwok Wing-hang, Hui Chi-fung, Mung Siu-tat, Lau Cho-dik and Law Kwun-chung, who have absconded overseas.

A reward of 1 million HK dollars (about 127,634.61 U.S. dollars) in respect of each wanted person is being offered by the police to anyone who can provide information on the wanted persons and the related crimes.

According to the police, the above-wanted persons committed crimes of endangering national security, repeatedly held public gatherings overseas, advocated "Hong Kong independence," colluded with anti-China forces, and requested foreign countries to take sanctions or other hostile acts against the country and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR).

The police have mastered the related evidence and will fully investigate it.

The police stressed that the national security law in Hong Kong has an extraterritorial effect and conforms to the principles of international law. Thus, the force has the responsibility to pursue in accordance with the law the legal liabilities of the persons who are alleged to have committed an offence contravening the law outside Hong Kong.

The police called on the eight wanted people to return to Hong Kong and surrender.

A spokesman for the HKSAR government said that it is the constitutional responsibility of the HKSAR to safeguard national security, and it is the common responsibility of all the people of China, including compatriots of Hong Kong, to safeguard the sovereignty, unification and territorial integrity of the People's Republic of China.

The HKSAR government shall proactively prevent, suppress and punish any act and activity endangering national security in accordance with the national security law in Hong Kong and other relevant laws, the spokesman said, adding that endangering national security is a very serious offence and the HKSAR government will fight against it in full force and pursue the liability of these persons to the end.

The Security Bureau of the HKSAR government also expressed its full support for the National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force in its effort to bring to justice those who have absconded overseas and allegedly committed offences under the national security law in Hong Kong.

The Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People's Government in the HKSAR on Monday issued a statement, expressing its firm support for the Hong Kong police to put the eight anti-China agitators on the wanted list, and take all necessary measures to pursue their legal responsibilities.

The statement stressed that anyone who violates the national security law in Hong Kong and commits relevant criminal acts anywhere will have their legal liabilities pursued and be punished by law.

The office will firmly perform its statutory duty of safeguarding national security, firmly support the Hong Kong police to take action according to law, and relentlessly crack down on the anti-China agitators who fled overseas.

It will safeguard the hard-won good situation in Hong Kong and make every effort to ensure the steady and long-term implementation of "one country, two systems."