HONG KONG - In a significant escalation of its crackdown on dissent, Hong Kong police announced on Tuesday that arrest warrants have been issued for six activists residing overseas, with bounties of 1 million Hong Kong dollars (approximately $127,000 USD) offered for information leading to their apprehension. This latest move highlights the Hong Kong government's ongoing strategy to silence critics beyond its borders.

Among those targeted are Tony Chung, the former leader of the defunct pro-independence group Studentlocalism, and notable activists Carmen Lau and Chloe Cheung, both based in the United Kingdom. The charges they face include serious national security offences such as secession, subversion, and collusion with foreign forces.

This recent round of warrants follows two previous attempts to apprehend prominent figures like ex-lawmakers Ted Hui and Nathan Law, reflecting a broader effort by authorities to suppress political dissent. Since the massive pro-democracy protests of 2019, many activists have been arrested or forced to flee abroad to escape persecution.

Chung, expressing his defiance on Instagram, remarked on being the first individual accused of violating Hong Kong’s national security law twice, stating, "As a staunch Hong Kong nationalist, today's wanted notice is undoubtedly a kind of affirmation for me. In the future, I will continue to unswervingly and fearlessly promote the self-determination of Hong Kong."

Lau also took to social media, urging international governments—particularly the U.K., U.S., and EU nations—to impose sanctions on those responsible for human rights violations in Hong Kong. She condemned the warrants as a "cowardly act of intimidation that aims to silence Hong Kong people," underscoring the international implications of the Hong Kong government's actions.

Cheung, a passionate advocate for freedom, questioned the motives behind the government's tactics, asking how fragile a regime must be to feel threatened by a young activist like herself. "How panicked are they that they have to put a million-dollar bounty on me?" she wrote.

The latest round of arrest warrants brings the total number of wanted individuals to 19. Additional names on the list include Chung Kim-wah from the Hong Kong Public Opinion Research Institute, Joseph Tay, co-founder of Canada-based NGO HongKonger Station, and YouTuber Victor Ho.

In a related development, the Hong Kong government has also ordered the cancellation of passports for seven individuals deemed "absconders," including Hui and Dennis Kwok, further tightening its grip on those it views as threats to national security.

As global scrutiny of China's crackdown on freedoms intensifies, human rights organizations and international observers are calling for immediate action from the governments of the U.K. and Canada to protect their citizens from the overreach of Hong Kong's national security law. Will these new developments spark a renewed international response, or will activists continue to bear the brunt of an increasingly authoritarian regime? The eyes of the world are watching.