Transnational Repression: Hong Kong's Legal First Under New Security Law

Kwok Yin-sang, the father of an activist currently wanted by Hong Kong authorities, was found guilty on Wednesday in a landmark case. It marks the first application of Hong Kong's national security law against someone connected to a wanted individual.

Kwok's daughter, Anna, who serves as the executive director of the Washington-based Hong Kong Democracy Council, has been a target for Hong Kong authorities since 2023. She was accused of inciting foreign interventions against China and advocating for sanctions. The police had offered a bounty on her, intensifying a yearslong crackdown post-2019 protests.

His conviction has sparked international attention, with criticisms from the U.S. and U.K. governments. They claim these extraterritorial applications of Hong Kong's security laws are aimed at silencing dissent overseas. Meanwhile, China and Hong Kong remain firm, claiming these laws ensure stability.