MADRID, July 5 (EUROPA PRESS) –

The Australian Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, considered that the bounties announced by Hong Kong authorities to detain activists in exile under the National Security Act, issued by Beijing and questioned by human rights defenders, were “unacceptable”.

“That is unacceptable. We are concerned about the announcements that have been made (…) We will continue to cooperate with China where we can, but we will disagree where we should. And we disagree on human rights issues, said Albanese. in an interview.

China’s foreign ministry has asked Canberra to stop hosting “fugitives” after Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong raised concerns over the issuance of arrest warrants for eight activists, two of them Australians, adding that “freedom of expression and assembly is essential to democracy.” and showing her “support for people in Australia exercising those rights.”

“We express our strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition to certain countries blatantly tarnishing the Hong Kong National Security Act,” Chinese ministry spokesman Mao Ning said at a press briefing on Tuesday.

Hong Kong police announced on Monday a decision to offer a one million Hong Kong dollar (about 117,000 euros) reward for information enabling the arrest of eight activists accused of violating national security laws, who were removed from Beijing and questioned by human rights defenders. .

Hong Kong authorities are looking to relaunch cases against several prominent activists, who are in Canada, Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom. They include former lawmakers Nathan Law, Dennis Kwok and Ted Hui, lawyer Kevin Yam and trade unionist Mung Siu Tat. The list given by Police Chief Steve Li this Monday includes the names Finn Lau, Anna Kwok and Elmer Yuan.

Hong Kong’s head of government, John Lee, had invited “anyone” on Tuesday to assist Police in the arrest of the activists, maintaining that the authorities “will persecute the activists for the rest of their lives”, even if they mean going “to the very end.” earth”: “They will live in fear,” he told a news conference.

The Chinese government imposed a national security law in 2020, as a result of opposition protests that put the former British colony’s regime in place the previous year. Since the enactment of this law, at least 260 people have been arrested, two thirds of whom have been charged.