Are activists in Hong Kong increasingly in danger?

A Hong Kong political activist, previously detained under the broad national security law, has announced his escape to Britain and intention to seek asylum, marking the second dissident to go into exile from the region this month.

The arguments

Tony Chung has arrived in Britain. In various social media posts, the activist explained that he chose to leave Hong Kong due to oppressive restrictions, coercion to act as an informant, and intense stress following his release from prison in June.

At 22 years old, Chung was sentenced to three years and seven months in prison in 2021 for advocating Hong Kong’s independence, a stance vehemently opposed by the Communist Party leaders in China who govern the territory. After an early release, he reported being closely monitored by police. Chung obtained approval for a brief vacation in Okinawa, Japan, during which he purchased a ticket to Britain.

In a statement on Instagram, he said he would be unable to return to Hong Kong for the foreseeable future. Despite anticipating this day, Chung said it was a difficult decision. He expressed his belief, cultivated since joining social movements at the age of 14, that Hong Kong is the only home for the nation of Hong Kong, and that they should not be the ones forced to leave it.

A trend of individuals choosing to leave Hong Kong is observed, with many opting to run for the exits due to the changing political landscape. However, those who have fled may still face intimidation abroad. In July, the Hong Kong government offered bounties for information leading to the apprehension of eight activists who had fled overseas.

The facts

Chung is now part of a growing exodus of Hong Kong activists and pro-democracy organizers who have left since the imposition of a national security law in June 2020. The law was a response to extensive pro-democracy protests in 2019, marked by occasional violent clashes between demonstrators and police officers. The legislation established a legal framework and police apparatus that significantly curtailed political freedoms in Hong Kong. The territory, a British colony until 1997, retained its own legal system and limited democratic processes for selecting representatives in the city’s legislature after its handover to China.

In early December, Agnes Chow, a former pro-democracy student activist in Hong Kong, revealed her relocation to Canada. Despite facing ongoing investigations and bail conditions requiring her to report to Hong Kong police, she chose to defy those instructions. Chow detailed post-release experiences where the police subjected her to an indoctrination tour in mainland China, attempting to persuade her of the benefits of Communist Party rule. Chung shared similar accounts of efforts by Hong Kong officers who closely monitored him.

Chung became the third person to receive a sentence under the security law, with prosecutors accusing him of promoting Hong Kong’s independence, both through social media and the now-disbanded group Studentlocalism. Additionally, he was convicted on a money laundering charge linked to donations received in support of the group.

Following his release from prison, Chung attempted to secure economic stability through a temporary job, but police officers instructed him not to take it without providing a clear explanation. Law enforcement officers proposed payment to Chung in exchange for acting as an informant, pressing him in meetings for details about his activities, including places visited and people met, even questioning him about elementary school classmates.

The informal oversight over ex-prisoners illustrates a partial replication of methods used by mainland Chinese authorities. The Hong Kong Democracy Council estimates that over 1,700 people in the territory have been imprisoned under the national security crackdown for activities related to protests, organized political opposition, and charges such as property damage. The number of those released or leaving the territory remains unclear.