Specification of absconders in respect of offences endangering national security and specification of measures applicable against relevant absconders under Safeguarding National Security Ordinance  
12.6.2024

The Secretary for Security exercised the powers conferred by sections 89(1) and 89(4) of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (6 of 2024) today (June 12) to specify six persons who have absconded the United Kingdom and are subject to warrants of arrest issued by the court for being suspected of having committed offences endangering national security, and to specify the measures to be applied against the relevant absconders by notices published in the Gazette. Details are set out in G.N. (E.) 15 of 2024 and G.N. (E.) 16 of 2024. The six specified relevant absconders include male Law Kwun-chung, male Mung Siu-tat, male Lau Cho-dik, male Cheng Man-kit, male Fok Ka-chi and male Choi Ming-da. All of them continue to engage in acts and activities endangering national security after they have absconded the United Kingdom. Thus, the police applied to the court for the arrest warrants in accordance with the law and put them on the wanted list in July 2023 and December 2023 respectively. The following four measures are applicable to all six relevant absconders: "Prohibition against making available funds etc. or dealing with funds etc.", "Prohibition against certain activities in connection with immovable property", "Prohibition in connection with joint ventures or partnerships with relevant absconders" and "Cancellation of HKSAR passports etc.". Besides, the measures of "Suspension of qualification to practise" and "Temporary removal from office of director" are applicable to individual relevant absconders. The offences endangering national security suspected to have been committed by the relevant absconders and the measures applied against the relevant absconders are detailed in the Annex. A Government spokesperson stressed that "These lawless wanted criminals are hiding in the United Kingdom and continue to blatantly engage in activities that endanger national security. They also make scaremongering remarks to smear and slander the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region. More so, they continue to collude with external forces to protect their evil deeds. We therefore have taken such measure to give them a strong blow." The Police would like to remind members of the public that except under the authority of a licence granted by the Secretary for Security, any person, whether directly or indirectly, making available any funds or other financial assets or economic resources to a relevant absconder, or dealing with any funds or other financial assets or economic resources belonging to, or owned or controlled by, a relevant absconder; leasing, or otherwise making available, immovable property to a relevant absconder, or leasing immovable property from a relevant absconder; or establishing a joint venture, partnership or any like relationship with a relevant absconder, or investing in such a joint venture, partnership or any like relationship commits an offence and is liable on conviction to imprisonment for seven years. The Police will take strict enforcement action against the relevant offences. Members of the public are advised not to break the law.