Hong Kong: Warrant issued against exiled politicians for advocating elections boycott
Dec 01, 2021
Hong Kong, December 1 : A Hong Kong court issued arrests warrants against two exiled politicians for allegedly advocating the boycott of the upcoming legislative election.
Former lawmaker Ted Hui and ex-district councillor Yau Man-chun, both aged 39, are living in self-exile and are wanted by the city's anti-corruption watchdog, the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).
According to an ICAC press statement published on Monday, Hui faces four charges while Yau faces eight, Hong Kong Free Press reported.
Hui made a Facebook post last month urging Hong Kong people to cast blank or invalid ballots in the Legislative Council election in December. His post is still available on the social media platform.
Yau also made Facebook posts in October and November asking people to boycott the "fake election." In the post, he wrote "friendly reminder, if you are in Hong Kong, do not share."
"The ICAC urges members of the public to abide by the law, and not to engage in making illegal appeals or report any unlawful contents in order to uphold a fair and clean election," a press statement from the watchdog read.
Hui went into self-imposed exile last December under the false pretence of attending a conference in Denmark. He is facing over a dozen charges in Hong Kong over protests in 2019 and breaching bail conditions, and has since resettled in Australia.
Yau left Hong Kong in July after resigning as a district councillor. He has since resettled in the UK.
Pro-democracy activists and politicians are witnessing increasing clampdown and policing by the city's authorities.
The pro-China authorities in Hong Kong have taken a range of steps to strengthen control of the semi-autonomous city in the past year. It includes the imposition of contentious National Security law, which was condemned across the world.
Several activists have left the city following the imposition of the law, fearing crackdown by police.
