Hong Kong woman earlier arrested under national security law suspected of another offence – Technologist

A woman who was arrested under Hong Kong’s domestic national security law earlier this week is now accused of committing another crime under the legislation by allegedly offering support to wanted activist Nathan Law Kwun-chung online, the force has revealed.

A spokesman for the Hong Kong Police’s National Security Department said on Friday that the woman arrested on Wednesday for allegedly committing sedition under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance was also suspected of another offence.

“Investigation revealed that she supported fugitive Law Kwun-chung with money and other individuals through an online subscription platform, with the amount of funding amounting to approximately HK$140,000 [US$18,000] ,” the spokesman said.

Such support would amount to violation of section 21 of the national security law by “providing pecuniary or other financial assistance or property” for another person to commit secession.

The national security law, imposed on the city by Beijing four years ago, criminalises secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.

According to police, the suspect in question was the seventh arrestee in a sedition case concerning Facebook posts related to the Tiananmen Square crackdown.

A source familiar with the matter had told the Post she was the wife of activist Kwan Chun-pong, who was suspected to have links with the now defunct Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China. This group had previously organised June 4 vigils at Victoria Park to mark the Tiananmen Square crackdown.

Among the six remaining arrestees in the case were activist Chow Hang-tung, who is currently being held at the Tai Lam Centre for Women, as well as her mother Medina Chow Lau Wah-chun.

Five other women and one man arrested in connection with this sedition case have been granted bail.

Last year, national security police rounded up four former members of the now-defunct Demosisto political party for allegedly raising funds to support Law, who is now living in self-exile in Britain and among eight people with HK$1 million bounties on their head for alleged national security offences.