Friday, May 9, 2025

Canadian Conservative's relatives detained in Hong Kong

Relatives of former Conservative candidate Joe Tay, a Canadian citizen with a bounty placed on his head by the Hong Kong government, were reportedly taken in for questioning by the national security police. 

Relatives of Tory Candidate and Activist Joe Tay Taken for Questioning by Hong Kong Police, Local Media Say | Epoch Times | Carolina Avendano:

May 8, 2025 - "Relatives of Conservative candidate and Hong Kong democracy activist Joe Tay were reportedly taken in for questioning by Hong Kong national security police, according to local media. The National Security Department took both Tay’s cousin and the cousin’s wife from their home in the Fo Tan area of Hong Kong to a police station on the morning of May 8 to assist with an investigation, according to government-owned Radio Television Hong Kong.


Joe Tay in 2014. CC BY 3.0, Wikimedia Commons.
Digital Broadcasting Corp. Hong Kong Ltd.

"Tay, a Canadian citizen who ran as a Tory candidate in the federal election, is one of several outspoken pro-democracy activists targeted by Hong Kong authorities. International bounties have been issued for Tay and several other activists.... Hong Kong authorities issued a warrant and offered a HK$1 million bounty (nearly CA$180,000) for Tay’s arrest in December 2024. Hong Kong officials have accused him of two offences: 'incitement to secession' and 'collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security.' The Epoch Times sought comment from Tay but didn’t hear back by publication time....

"[N]on-governmental human rights organization ... Hong Kong Watch also expressed concern about reports involving Tay’s relatives. 'The Hong Kong government is intensifying its campaign of Transnational Repression,' wrote the group in a May 8 social media post. 'Governments must act to protect diaspora activists now.'

"Tay’s situation drew national attention during Canada’s election campaign after it was reported that Paul Chiang, then an incumbent Liberal candidate for the Ontario riding of Markham-Unionville, had suggested Tay, his Conservative rival, be handed over to the Toronto Chinese consulate to collect the bounty placed on him. Chiang later issued an apology, calling his comments a 'complete lapse of judgment,' and promising to 'continue to stand shoulder to shoulder with the people of Hong Kong in their fight to safeguard their human rights and freedoms.' 

"Tay ... said ... that the situation left him fearing for his safety.... He added he had previously contacted the RCMP about his personal protection. 'Threats like these are the tradecraft of the Chinese Communist Party to interfere in Canada,' he said in a March 31 statement. 'And they are not just aimed at me. They are intended to send a chilling signal to the entire community in order to force compliance with Beijing’s political goals.'"

Read more: https://www.theepochtimes.com/world/relatives-of-tory-candidate-and-activist-joe-tay-taken-for-questioning-by-hong-kong-police-local-media-say-5854615

Hong Kong police take in relatives of wanted activist Joe Tay for questioning | Hong Kong Free Press | Hillary Leung:

May 8, 2025 - "A total of 19 overseas activists are wanted by Hong Kong national security police, including ex-student leader Nathan Law and lawmakers Ted Hui and Dennis Kwok. Police are offering HK$1 million for information related to them. Officers have also taken in a number of the activists’ family members for questioning as part of their investigations. Last week, police charged a relative of a wanted activist for the first time. Anna Kwok’s father, Kwok Yin-sang, was said to breached Article 23 – Hong Kong’s homegrown security law – by attempting to obtain funds from a life and personal accident insurance policy that belonged to her.  Anna Kwok, the executive director of the US-based Hong Kong Democracy Council, is accused of foreign collusion....

"In June 2020, Beijing inserted national security legislation directly into Hong Kong’s mini-constitution – bypassing the local legislature – following a year of pro-democracy protests and unrest. It criminalised subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts, which were broadly defined to include disruption to transport and other infrastructure. The move gave police sweeping new powers, alarming democrats, civil society groups and trade partners, as such laws have been used broadly to silence and punish dissidents in China. However, the authorities say it has restored stability and peace to the city."

Read more: https://hongkongfp.com/2025/05/08/hong-kong-police-take-in-relatives-of-wanted-activist-joe-tay-for-questioning/

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