Hong Kong court convicts father of wanted activist for handling her funds, marking first verdict under new homegrown national security law.
HONG KONG: A Hong Kong court convicted the father of a wanted pro-democracy activist on Wednesday for handling money belonging to his daughter overseas.
This marks the first such verdict issued under the city’s homegrown national security law.
Authorities have vowed to pursue overseas “fugitives” accused of endangering national security, issuing bounties on 34 people so far.
Kwok Yin-sang, 69, was found guilty of attempting to withdraw around $11,000 by terminating an insurance policy he bought for his daughter, Anna Kwok, when she was an infant.
Acting Principal Magistrate Cheng Lim-chi said the defendant clearly knew his daughter was an absconder.
The magistrate stated the insurance policy met the legal definition of funds belonging to her.
Anna Kwok, who has a HK$1 million bounty on her, said on social media that authorities were retaliating against her activism.
“Today, my father was convicted simply for being my father,” she wrote, calling the conviction “hostage taking”.
Human Rights Watch called the verdict “cruel and vindictive”, labelling it an “alarming act of collective punishment”.
Amnesty International’s Joey Siu said the ruling was a “disturbing escalation” in the use of the homegrown security law.
Defence lawyer Steven Kwan argued the level of criminal culpability was low.
He stated the money did not end up supporting activities that endanger national security.
Kwok was remanded in custody pending sentencing on February 26.
The magistrate can hand out jail terms of up to two years for the offence.
