Father Of Us-based Hong Kong Activist Convicted Under National Security Law - Beritaja

Anna Kwok speaks during an arena commemorating China's June 4, 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown connected pro-democracy activity successful Washington D.C., connected June 3, 2024. Didi Tang/AP

Didi Tang/AP

HONG KONG — The begetter of a U.S.-based activistic wanted by Hong Kong authorities was convicted of attempting to woody pinch an absconder's financial assets connected Wednesday, successful the first tribunal lawsuit of its benignant brought nether a homegrown nationalist information law.

Kwok Yin-sang's girl Anna is the executive head of the Washington-based Hong Kong Democracy Council. Authorities successful 2023 offered 1 cardinal Hong Kong dollars (about $127,900) for accusation starring to her apprehension and later banned anyone from handling immoderate costs for her — wide seen arsenic portion of a yearslong crackdown connected challenges against Beijing's norm pursuing the massive, anti-government protests successful 2019.

Kwok, 69, was arrested successful April 2025 nether the information law, locally known arsenic Article 23 legislation, enacted a twelvemonth before. He was accused of having attempted to get costs from an security argumentation nether his daughter's name. He pleaded not guilty.

Acting main magistrate Cheng Lim-chi recovered him blameworthy connected Wednesday, saying Kwok must person known his girl was an absconder and he was attempting to grip her assets.

According to erstwhile hearings, Kwok bought the security argumentation for Anna erstwhile she was a toddler and she gained power of it erstwhile she reached 18 years old. The begetter successful 2025 wanted to cancel the argumentation and get costs from it, the tribunal heard.

Kwok's lawyer, Steven Kwan, pleaded for a lesser condemnation for his client, saying location was nary grounds to show his customer was trying to get the money to nonstop to his daughter. He suggested the judge see a 14-day situation term.

While the maximum condemnation for his complaint is 7 years of imprisonment, but his lawsuit was heard astatine the magistrates' courts, which usually hands down a maximum condemnation of 2 years.

His sentencing is scheduled for Feb. 26.

Authorities person accused the girl of requesting overseas sanctions, blockade and engaging successful different dispute activities against China and Hong Kong done gathering overseas politicians and authorities officials.

After the verdict, the Hong Kong Democratic Council said connected X that "it represents yet different escalation of transnational repression."

Amnesty International Hong Kong Overseas spokesperson Joey Siu said the condemnation was apparently politically motivated.

"It besides sets a vulnerable precedent, designed to terrify and soundlessness others who proceed to speak retired about Hong Kong issues from overseas," she said successful a statement, calling for Kwok's release.

The police's bounties targeting overseas-based Hong Kong activists, including Siu and pro-democracy erstwhile lawmakers Nathan Law and Ted Hui, person drawn disapproval from the U.S. and the U.K. governments.

In 2025, Washington sanctioned six Chinese and Hong Kong officials who it alleged were progressive successful "transnational repression" and acts that frighten to further erode the city's autonomy. It said Beijing and Hong Kong officials person utilized Hong Kong's nationalist information laws extraterritorially to intimidate, soundlessness and harass immoderate activists who were forced to fly overseas.

Weeks aft that, China said it would punishment U.S. officials, lawmakers and leaders of nongovernmental organizations who it said person "performed poorly" connected Hong Kong issues.

After Beijing imposed a 2020 nationalist information rule connected the city, galore starring activists were arrested aliases silenced. Others fled overseas and continued their defense for Hong Kong, a British colony that returned to Chinese norm successful 1997.

Both China and Hong Kong governments insist the information laws were important for the city's stability.