A social media post claiming to be penned by the brother of exiled pro-democracy lawmaker Nathan Law, who is wanted by police under the National Security Law, has called on him to come home and face the music as Hong Kong authorities filed bankruptcy proceedings against another wanted lawmaker in exile, Ted Hui.
The post, which appeared on Instagram on Monday night, said Law's brother had cut off ties with him and called on him to return to Hong Kong, where national security police have a warrant out for his arrest and a HK$1 million bounty on his head.
Signing off with the name of Law's brother Law Kwun-peng, the author described themselves as "a patriotic Chinese, born and bred," and took aim at Law for allegedly advocating " independence" for the city from overseas, a phrase frequently used by Chinese officials to describe any kind of political opposition by Hong Kongers.
The post, the latest in a string of actions designed to put pressure on the eight wanted overseas activists, called on Law to "go back home and face up to everything."
It came from an account that was opened several years ago, but which had lain dormant until three weeks ago, a pattern of activity that has previously been linked to Beijing-backed disinformation campaigns on social media.
Law declined to comment when contacted by Radio Free Asia on Monday, saying only: "I don't know and have no comment."
The post was picked up by pro-Beijing media within two hours, including the state-run China News Service and Hong Kong's Chinese Communist Party-backed Ta Kung Pao newspaper.
Law, who now lives in the United Kingdom, announced in 2020 that he had cut ties with his family back in Hong Kong in a bid to protect them.
But they were hauled in for questioning by Hong Kong police in July, as the city's leader John Lee vowed to pursue Law and the seven other wanted activists for the rest of their lives under a national security law criminalizing public criticism of the authorities.
Political retaliation?
The post appeared as authorities took action against another wanted Hong Konger in exile, former pro-democracy lawmaker Ted Hui, filing for his bankruptcy after he was unable to pay outstanding legal fees because police froze his assets after he fled the city.
Hui said the legal fees likely stem from several lawsuits he brought against the authorities, including over the firing of live ammunition at protesters in 2019 and a lawsuit demanding to know the ingredients of tear gas, which was fired at protesters by riot police at the rate of hundreds a day at the height of the protests.
He said the "bankruptcy" application was a form of political retaliation.
"This bankruptcy application is extremely unreasonable because I am not insolvent," Hui said. "The amount I left with the Hong Kong law firm for litigation purposes is higher than the amount [of outstanding legal fees] stated in the Hong Kong government's bankruptcy application."
"The Hong Kong government continues to pursue, harass and suppress me politically," he said. "It's definitely a new form of transnational repression," Hui said, citing Beijing's " long-arm" enforcement activities and harassment of dissidents far beyond China's borders.
Current affairs commentator Sang Pu said Law's family seem to be being treated as political "hostages" in the authorities' attempts to harass overseas activists.
"I'm worried that his family may not even be allowed to leave [Hong Kong]," Sang said. "That they have become hostages, vulnerable in the hands of the authorities."
"This isn't about the law – it's more about using Cultural Revolution-style struggle session tactics to undermine family ties of love, affection and trust," he said.
"This is the Communist Party's modus operandi, and now it has arrived in Hong Kong."
Chung Ching Kwong, Hong Kong Campaigns Coordinator for the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, agreed.
"The Hong Kong government is using methods similar to those used in mainland China, which is of course a form of transnational repression," Chung said. "They do these things to try to manipulate you, freezing assets, anything to harass you and put you under pressure."
"Everyone's going to be more worried now about their property back in Hong Kong," she said.
Sang said the government's plan to pass new security laws next year will likely make such actions more common in future.
"After that law gets passed, they will just be able to freeze your bank account because they suspect you are a spy," Sang said. "It will be even easier for them."
Translated by Luisetta Mudie. Edited by Malcolm Foster.