HONG KONG - Hong Kong's national security police have arrested the father and brother of wanted activist Anna Kwok, accusing them of handling her finances, according to local media reports on Friday (May 2). This marks the first time the city's security law has been used to target the relatives of an absconder.

Kwok, the executive director of the Washington-based Hong Kong Democracy Council, is one of 19 overseas activists sought by Hong Kong's national security police. She faces allegations of colluding with foreign powers, and the police have offered a HK$1 million (S$167 million) reward for her capture. Hong Kong's national security law has faced criticism from human rights organizations and several democratic nations, claiming it undermines freedoms and suppresses dissent in the region. The United States has also condemned the harassment of the families of pro-democracy activists living abroad.

The police reported that they arrested two men, aged 35 and 68, on April 30, on suspicion of managing "funds or other financial assets" related to Kwok. According to unnamed sources, these men are Kwok's father and brother. A charge sheet reviewed by Reuters shows that Kwok Yin-sang, the 68-year-old father, was formally charged under the security law on Friday morning for attempting to manage Kwok's finances, including her life and personal accident insurance policy, which could be used to access funds.

Local media reported that he was denied bail by national security judge Victor So at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts, while the younger man was released on bail pending further investigation. The case has been postponed until June 13. Kwok's relatives' lawyer could not be reached for comment. The police have warned that handling the finances of an absconder is a serious crime, with a maximum sentence of seven years in prison. Chinese and Hong Kong authorities maintain that the security law has restored stability, which is essential for preserving Hong Kong's economic prosperity.