Police offer HK$1m reward to nab eight NSL suspects
Police on Monday offered rewards of HK$1 million each for information that leads to the arrest and prosecution of eight people wanted for alleged national security law violations. Dennis Kwok, Ted Hui, Nathan Law, Mung Siu-tat, Kevin Yam, Finn Lau, Anna Kwok and Yuan Gong-yi are accused of crimes such as inciting secession and colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security.  Wanted notices detail their alleged wrongdoing, through media interviews they have given, meetings they have held with foreign politicians, and their social media posts. “Any member of the public who has information related to this crime or whereabouts of the wanted person shall contact police without delay”, the notices say.  The eight wanted people are now based in various places including the United States, Britain and Australia.  Chief superintendent Steve Li conceded that the police can’t take action against them unless they return to Hong Kong. But he added that he hopes the rewards will help the force gather evidence against the suspects. "You never know, maybe someday they will come back to Hong Kong through illegal means. That kind of information should be very useful for us," Li said. "All we have done, is just prepare [so that if] one day they are back in Hong Kong, [we can] effectively arrest them and make justice done." Li said the suspects’ alleged criminal activities include calling for Hong Kong independence, urging foreign countries to sanction Hong Kong judges, and proposing ways for other countries to undermine the SAR's status as an international financial hub. The chief superintendent said some of them also tried to raise funds online, warning that anyone who subsidises activities that endanger national security may violate the law.  Li called on the eight to come back to the SAR and turn themselves in, saying this could help them get reduced sentences should they be convicted. In a statement, the government said it supports police in listing the eight as wanted persons, adding that the force has a responsibility to take all necessary measures in accordance with the law to arrest them and "bring them to justice". "The eight persons concerned who have fled overseas are alleged to have continued to commit offences under the National Security Law that seriously endanger national security," a government spokesperson said. "The fugitives should not have any delusion that they could evade their legal liabilities by absconding from Hong Kong. They ultimately have to bear responsibility and face the sanctions of the law for their [alleged] serious illegal acts endangering national security."