The stepfather of fugitive activist Tony Chung has been taken in by Hong Kong national security police for questioning, according to local media reports.
Chung’s stepfather was “taken away” on Tuesday morning by national security police, Ming Pao reported, citing sources.
The stepfather was taken in to “assist in the investigation” of Chung’s suspected offences of inciting secession and colluding with external forces to endanger national security, Sing Tao Daily reported, also citing sources.
In response to HKFP’s enquiries, the police said that the national security police brought in a person to assist with their investigation.
“The case is still under investigation, no arrest has been made so far,” they added.
Chung was the ex-convener of pro-independence group Studentlocalism, which was disbanded on June 30, 2020, hours before Beijing passed the national security law.
He was arrested in late July 2020, marking the first arrest under the controversial legislation.
The 23-year-old was sentenced to three years and seven months in jail in 2021 after pleading guilty to inciting secession and money laundering. He finished his term in June 2023.
He fled Hong Kong in December 2023 to seek political asylum in the UK after the Correctional Services Department (CSD) allowed him to travel to Japan for Christmas.
Last December, Hong Kong national security police issued a fresh round of arrest warrants for six activists living overseas, including Chung, with bounties worth HK$1 million offered for information leading to their arrests.
A total of 19 Hong Kong activists have been issued arrest warrants for alleged national security offences. Police have called on the activists to return to Hong Kong and surrender themselves. At the same time, officers have taken in their relatives and colleagues for investigation.
Beijing inserted national security legislation directly into Hong Kong’s mini-constitution in June 2020 following a year of pro-democracy protests and unrest. It criminalised subversion, secession, collusion with foreign forces and terrorist acts – broadly defined to include disruption to transport and other infrastructure. The move gave police sweeping new powers and led to hundreds of arrests amid new legal precedents, while dozens of civil society groups disappeared. The authorities say it restored stability and peace to the city, rejecting criticism from trade partners, the UN and NGOs.
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