The father of a U.S.-based Hong Kong pro-democracy activist is now facing eight months in prison. It’s the first such decision to involve the family member of a wanted activist abroad under the city’s draconian national security law. The daughter says Hong Kong authorities jailed her father to stop her from speaking out. -- 📺 Watch NTD News 24/7 on cable, broadcast, and streaming: https://www.ntd.com/watch
The father of a US-based Hong Kong pro-democracy activist is now facing eight months in prison.
It's the first involving the family member of a wanted activist abroad under the city's
draconian national security law.
The daughter says Hong Kong authorities jailed her father to stop her from speaking out.
Here's more.
The father of a wanted Hong Kong pro-democracy activist has been sentenced to eight months
Seen here arriving at the courts two weeks ago with his son, 69-year-old Kwok Yin Sang
was found guilty under a city law known as Article 23.
That expands on the Beijing-imposed national security law, criminalising any attempt to
deal with, directly or indirectly, any funds or other financial assets or economic resources
belonging to an esconder.
Kwok is the first person in the city to be charged and convicted with the offence.
So basically my dad currently is being convicted of attempting to deal with finances, assets
that are owned by me.
His daughter, Anna Kwok, helps lead the Washington-based advocacy group Hong Kong Democracy Council
and is one of the 34 overseas activists wanted by Hong Kong National Security Police.
She spoke to Reuters in Washington last week.
Basically I was a little kid, still learning how to say dad.
And he got this insurance policy under his name, so the policy has always been owned
by him.
But because I was on the policy as an insured or beneficiary, I don't even know.
The Hong Kong government is saying that he's dealing with my finances and therefore he's
being convicted.
Her father was accused of trying to withdraw funds totalling around $11,000 from that policy.
Magistrate Andy Cheung said Kwok's case was a serious one under the national security
law and had nothing to do with family ties.
Anna says, given the chance, she would apologise to her father.
I would give him a hug, for sure.
Asian dads are not very known for showing affection with hugs and I realised this year,
I don't think I've ever hugged my dad since I became an adult, so that would be something
I do.
But at the same time, I would also apologise for putting him in this situation, in this position.
