On the morning of July 11^th, Hong Kong police raided the family home of leading pro-democracy activist Nathan Law, who left Hong Kong in 2020 after Beijing’s grip on the city increased and who currently lives in exile in the U.K. Law’s parents and one of his brothers were taken away for questioning, but were not formally arrested and were later released. Human Rights Watch reported that a warrant for Law’s arrest went out on July 3^rd.

Mr. Law is one of the leading figures in Hong Kong’s pro-democracy movement and one of the founding members of the pro-democracy Demosisto Party. Law ran for the legislative council election in 2016, but was disqualified by Hong Kong’s high court in July 2017 due to a claim that he had taken the oath of office improperly.

The raid on Law’s home is the latest instance in Beijing officials’ attempts against pro-democracy activists. Along with Law, a Human Rights Watch report stated that warrants went out for the arrests of seven other activists living in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States: former lawmakers Ted Hui and Dennis Kwok; activists Anna Kwok, Elmer Yuen, and Finn Lau; labour unionist Christopher Mung; and lawyer Kevin Yam. In order to pressure a surrender, several people with alleged connections to the targeted activists have been arrested, with at least five connections being arrested in the first week of June. Furthermore, Hong Kong’s government has offered bounties of HK$1 million for any information that will lead to the activists’ arrest. B.B.C. journalist Frances Mao reported that the eight are accused of working with foreign forces to undermine Hong Kong and its officials.

The city’s chief executive stated that Hong Kong’s authorities will intensify investigations against the activists and will “pursue them for life,” Mao wrote.

Since 2020, Human Rights Watch reports, Chinese and Hong Kongese authorities have stripped the city of its liberties and freedoms, beginning with the new national security law China introduced to simplify the prosecution of activists and reduce the city’s autonomy. “The Hong Kong government increasingly goes above and beyond to persecute peaceful dissent both within Hong Kong and abroad,” Asia Director at Human Rights Watch Maya Wang said.

It has to be noted that none of the nations in which the targeted activists currently live have extradition treaties with China, and, therefore, none of those countries are being forced to extradite the activists to Hong Kong for their arrests. Furthermore, the U.S., U.K., and Australia have all responded to the warrants with criticism and censure. However, criticism alone does not help the activists and their families. As proof that Hong Kong is no longer an independent or democratic entity, but rather that its national security and law enforcement are now controlled by China, the raid shows that harassing families will be the new tactic Hong Kong will use to intimidate activists. Action must be taken in order to protect the freedoms and liberties of Hong Kong’s people.

Because the city’s officials readily follow China’s lead, foreign governments have to signal their support for pro-democracy activists to provide an alternative voice. Furthermore, international organizations and foreign powers should more openly criticize China’s government and its oppressions of Hong Kong’s people by levying sanctions and holding officials accountable for their autocratic strides. The willingness this raid signals Hong Kong’s authorities have to threaten and menace the city’s activists poses great threat to democracy. If the international community remains silent, every democratic aspect in Hong Kong will be erased.