Hong Kong Democracy Activist Hui Granted Asylum in Australia

(Bloomberg) — Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Ted Hui said he’s been granted asylum in Australia, more than four years after he left the city to evade national security charges.

The former lawmaker said in a post on Facebook that he’d received written notice from the Department of Home Affairs granting protection visas to him, his wife, children and parents. “This decision reflects values of freedom, justice, and compassion that my family will never take for granted,” he said.

The Australian Home Affairs department said by email it doesn’t comment on individual cases due to privacy. The Hong Kong government issued a statement saying it disapproves of “the harboring of criminals in any form by any country.”

“The HKSAR Government will do everything possible and use all legal means to pursue and combat criminals who endanger national security,” according to the statement, which didn’t name Hui or identify other fugitives.

UK-based Hong Kong activist Tony Chung was earlier this month granted asylum in Britain, according to a Threads post on Sunday.

In December, the Hong Kong government canceled the passports of seven overseas-based activists, including Hui, under the homegrown security law enacted last year.

A continuing crackdown on perceived threats and the introduction of the China-imposed security legislation have led to the imprisonment of dozens of former activists in the city after massive pro-democracy protests roiled the ex-British colony in 2019.  

Phone calls and an email to Hong Kong’s Information Services Department representatives went unanswered on Sunday.

–With assistance from Iris Ouyang and Olivia Tam.

(Updates with Home Affairs department comment in third paragraph.)

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