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Australia Condemns Hong Kong Bounty Targeting Exiled Activist Kevin Yam

The Australian government has labeled the $200,000 bounty linked to Hong Kong police as a violation of sovereignty and vowed to protect its citizens from foreign interference.

Australian lawyer Kevin Yam, who is among eight overseas-based Hong Kong activists who have bounties on them by Hong Kong authorities for alleged breaches of a Hong Kong national security law, poses for a photo in Sydney, Australia July 6, 2023. Yam, an Australian citizen, left Hong Kong in 2022 to return to live in Australia. He says he exercised his democratic rights in Australia to raise awareness of Hong Kong?s situation. REUTERS/Kirsty Needham/File photo
Minister for Foreign Affairs of the Commonwealth of Australia Penny Wong addresses the "Summit of the Future" in the General Assembly hall at United Nations headquarters in New York City, U.S., September 23, 2024. REUTERS/David Dee Delgado/File photo
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In 2023, Hong Kong began to offer HK$1 million bounties for information leading to the arrest of pro-democracy activists living overseas

Overview

  • A letter offering a $200,000 bounty for information on pro-democracy activist Kevin Yam was sent to Melbourne residents, reportedly linked to the Hong Kong police.
  • The letter accuses Yam of national security offenses and claims he is wanted under a warrant issued by a Hong Kong magistrate.
  • The Australian government has condemned the targeting of Yam as 'deeply worrying,' raising the issue with Chinese and Hong Kong authorities through diplomatic channels.
  • Kevin Yam has publicly stated he will not return to Hong Kong voluntarily, vowing to continue his life despite the intimidation attempts.
  • The incident mirrors similar tactics used against exiled activists in other countries, such as the UK, and has heightened concerns about foreign interference and the safety of dissidents abroad.