Hong Kong activist’s father convicted under national security law over insurance policy
Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments
Kwok Yin-sang, father of wanted US-based activist Anna Kwok, arriving at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts building in Hong Kong on Feb 11.
PHOTO: REUTERS
HONG KONG – A Hong Kong court found the father of a wanted activist guilty of a national security violation on Feb 11 after he tried to end her insurance policy and withdraw the funds, drawing international criticism for the targeting of relatives of pro-democracy campaigners.
Kwok Yin-sang, 69, was the first person to be charged under a Hong Kong law known as Article 23, which expands on a Beijing-imposed national security law, for “attempting to deal with, directly or indirectly, any funds or other financial assets or economic resources” belonging to an absconder.
His daughter Anna Kwok helps lead the Washington-based advocacy group Hong Kong Democracy Council and is one of 34 overseas activists wanted by the Hong Kong national security police.
She is accused of colluding with foreign forces, and the police have offered a bounty of HK$1 million (S$160,000) for her arrest.
On her Facebook page, Anna Kwok said she was not and has never been the owner of the insurance policy, nor has she exchanged, received or sought any “funds or other financial assets or economic resources” from her father, family or any individual or entity in Hong Kong.
“Today, my father was convicted and remanded in custody simply for being my father,” she said. “This is how the Hong Kong government retaliates against my community and me for our advocacy.”
“Weaponising my love for my family will not limit my love for Hong Kong. The Hong Kong government’s retaliation does not and will not discourage me from my ongoing advocacy and activism.”
Kwok Yin-sang was accused of trying to withdraw funds totalling HK$88,609 from an insurance policy that he purchased for her when she was about two years old. He had pleaded not guilty and did not testify at the trial.
Acting Principal Magistrate Cheng Lim-chi said that since Anna Kwok was a fugitive, directly or indirectly handling her insurance policy was illegal.
A sentence will be handed down on Feb 26. Kwok Yin-sang faces a maximum prison sentence of seven years, but the sentencing is capped at two years at the magistrate court level.
During arguments on sentencing, defence lawyer Steven Kwan asked the judge to consider a 14-day prison term as Kwok Yin-sang only intended to retrieve the money for himself, and no evidence showed that it would go to his daughter.
According to the prosecution, when he was arrested, he said under police caution: “I know my daughter is wanted by the Security Bureau. I was the one paying for her insurance policy. Since she’s no longer in Hong Kong, I just cut it.”
Kwok Yin-sang’s bail was revoked after the conviction, and he appeared calm and waved to his family as he was taken back into custody.
During the closing submission, defence lawyer Kwan argued that sections 89 and 90 of Article 23 should not apply in a case where a person was simply handling an insurance policy he had purchased a long time ago for his children.
“This... is a form of prosecution based on family ties,” the lawyer said.
Anna Kwok’s brother was also arrested for the same crime and is currently on bail.
Human Rights Watch’s Asia director Elaine Pearson said punishing a father for his daughter’s peaceful activism is “an alarming act of collective punishment that has no place under international human rights law”. REUTERS
