Hong Kong Jails Father of Exiled Activist in Unprecedented National Security Case

The imprisonment of 69‑year‑old Kwok Yin‑sang has sent a jolt through Hong Kong’s pro‑democracy community, marking the first time authorities have jailed a family member of an activist living abroad. For his daughter, Anna Kwok a 29‑year‑old campaigner now in exile the news was both shocking and grimly predictable. She has lived with the expectation of retaliation ever since fleeing the city in 2020.

Kwok is one of 34 overseas activists wanted under Hong Kong’s national security laws, with a HK$1 million ($127,000) bounty on her head. Her father was sentenced on Thursday to eight months in prison after being found guilty of attempting to manage the financial assets of a fugitive. The case centered on his effort to withdraw about $11,000 from an insurance policy he had purchased for his daughter when she was a toddler.

Critics say the conviction signals a new phase in Hong Kong’s crackdown one that increasingly mirrors mainland China’s practice of targeting relatives to exert pressure on dissidents. Rights groups warn that the prosecution of Kwok’s father expands the reach of the city’s security apparatus far beyond its borders.

The Hong Kong government rejects that characterization. In a statement to the BBC, a spokesperson insisted that law enforcement actions “have nothing to do with political stance, background or occupation,” and are strictly tied to violations of national security law.

Kwok herself is accused of colluding with foreign forces and breaching security legislation for her role in the massive 2019 pro‑democracy protests. Her father and brother were arrested last year on suspicion of handling her assets; the brother was released, but her father was charged under Article 23 a sweeping homegrown law that broadens Beijing’s already far‑reaching national security framework. He pleaded not guilty.

Authorities argue that such laws are essential to maintaining stability. Opponents counter that they have become powerful tools to silence dissent, intimidate families, and dismantle what remains of Hong Kong’s political freedoms.