VANCOUVER 鈥� A Vancouver-based activist is accusing Hong Kong authorities of meddling in Canada鈥檚 internal affairs after police in the Chinese territory issued a warrant for his arrest.
Victor Ho and fellow Canadian Joe Tay are among six overseas activists targeted by Hong Kong police who announced rewards of HK$1 million, equivalent to about C$180,000, for information leading to their arrests.
The warrants announced on Tuesday say the six are wanted for national security offences such as secession, subversion and collusion with foreign forces.
Ho said in a Chinese-language post on Facebook that he's proud of the arrest warrant, joking that it's the "best Christmas present."
"A Canadian citizen like me ... has the protection of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, and exercised his right to the freedom of speech," he said.
Ho is the former editor-in-chief of the Sing Tao Daily newspaper, and helped launched a plan in Canada to elect an unofficial 鈥淗ong Kong parliament鈥� in 2022.
Only 鈥減atriots鈥� are eligible for election to Hong Kong's true Legislative Council, under a 2021 law passed by China鈥檚 parliament, the National People鈥檚 Congress, and pro-democracy protesters have been the subject of mass arrests.
When plans for the unofficial parliament were announced, Hong Kong鈥檚 Security Bureau said Ho and others were 小蓝视频 investigated for subversion, which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment under the National Security Law.
In the Facebook post Ho said Canadian authorities have not arrested the organizers of the parliament.
"But now it鈥檚 actually the Hong Kong communist authorities meddling in Canada鈥檚 internal affairs, repeatedly issuing wanted notices for this Canadian citizen. Are they trying for another cross-border arrest? Does Beijing want Canada to become their client/subordinate state?"
He said the first elections for the unofficial parliament are set for March 2025.
"It鈥檚 the first time in the world a referendum will be held using mobile apps to allow for an anonymous, one-person one-vote vote. It's easy for overseas Hong Kongers to participate, to show dictators and authoritarian regimes of Hong Kongers鈥� desire for self-determination," the post says.
Tay is the founder of Canada-based activist group HongKonger Station and is seeking the Conservative Party nomination in Markham Unionville in Ontario.
The Hong Kong Police say in a statement the six wanted activists have "absconded overseas."
The Hong Kong government had previously issued two rounds of arrest warrants and bounties for other prominent activists, including former members of the Legislative Council.
In his Facebook post, Ho joked that the reward 小蓝视频 issued had allowed him to recover some "fugitive dignity."
"So I鈥檓 worth something after all, and it鈥檚 hard for me to hide my pride as we enter 2025," he said.
Neither Ho nor Tay immediately responded to requests for comment.
鈥� With files from Associated Press and Chuck Chiang
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 24, 2024
Ashley Joannou, The Canadian Press
