Father Sentenced Over Daughter’s Hong Kong Activism

A 69‑year‑old man in Hong Kong was found guilty of trying to tap into a life insurance policy belonging to his daughter, an American activist who leads the Hong Kong Democracy Council in Washington. The case is the first of its kind under Hong Kong’s new national security law, which was enacted a year before the trial. The daughter, Anna, has been targeted by authorities since 2023. The government offered a reward of about $128, 000 for information that could lead to her arrest and later forbade anyone from handling any money on her behalf. These actions are part of a broader effort to suppress opposition after the 2019 protests. The father, who was arrested in April 2025, claimed he had no intention of using the policy’s funds to aid his daughter. He was accused of trying to cancel the insurance and access its cash value while she was still abroad. A magistrate found that he knew her status as a fugitive and therefore acted with intent to benefit her.The policy was originally bought when Anna was a baby, and she took control of it upon turning 18. In the courtroom, his lawyer argued that there was no proof the money would be sent to her and requested a short sentence of 14 days. The maximum penalty for this offence is seven years, but magistrate courts typically impose a two‑year limit. Sentencing will take place on February 26. The activist’s organization criticised the verdict as another step in transnational repression. A human‑rights group said the conviction was politically driven and warned that it could silence other overseas voices. Critics in the United States and the United Kingdom have also condemned Hong Kong’s use of bounties against foreign activists. The U. S. government has, in turn, sanctioned Chinese and Hong Kong officials it says are involved in silencing dissent. China has threatened to sanction Western politicians and NGOs over similar accusations. Both sides claim the national security laws are essential for stability, while many activists see them as tools to curb freedom.