Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Ted Hui said he¡¯s been granted asylum in Australia, more than four years after he left the city to evade national security charges.
The former lawmaker said in a post on Facebook that he¡¯d received written notice from the Department of Home Affairs granting protection visas to him, his wife, children and parents.
¡°This decision reflects values of freedom, justice, and compassion that my family will never take for granted,¡± he said.
The Australian Home Affairs department said by email it doesn¡¯t comment on individual cases due to privacy. The Hong Kong government issued a statement over the weekend, saying it disapproves of ¡°the harboring of criminals in any form by any country.¡±
¡°The HKSAR Government will do everything possible and use all legal means to pursue and combat criminals who endanger national security,¡± the statement, which didn¡¯t name Hui or identify other fugitives, read.
U.K.-based Hong Kong activist Tony Chung was earlier this month granted asylum in Britain, according to a Threads post on Sunday.
In December, the Hong Kong government canceled the passports of seven overseas-based activists, including Hui, under the homegrown security law enacted last year.
A continuing crackdown on perceived threats and the introduction of the China-imposed security legislation have led to the imprisonment of dozens of former activists in the city after massive pro-democracy protests roiled the former British colony in 2019.
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