HONG KONG (AP) — A court in Hong Kong has sentenced Kwok Yin-sang, the 69-year-old father of U.S.-based activist Anna Kwok, to eight months in prison. The conviction stems from his attempt to withdraw funds from his daughter's insurance policy, marking a significant case under the recently enacted national security law. This particular case is notable as it is the first to target a family member of a pro-democracy advocate wanted by the authorities.
Kwok was found guilty earlier in the month of attempting to handle financial assets belonging to an "absconder" under local laws known as the 2024 Article 23 legislation. His daughter, Anna Kwok, serves as the executive director of the Washington-based Hong Kong Democracy Council and has publicly condemned her father's conviction as "transnational repression." She argues that the charges against him are based on an "incoherent fiction" and that his sentencing is reflective of broader tactics employed by the authorities to silence dissent.
Hong Kong authorities have placed a bounty of 1 million Hong Kong dollars (approximately $127,900) for information leading to Anna's arrest, while also prohibiting anyone from managing funds on her behalf. Anna Kwok is among 34 individuals facing similar police bounties, which many observers interpret as part of an aggressive crackdown on dissent that escalated following the massive anti-government protests in 2019. The Hong Kong authorities accuse her of soliciting foreign sanctions and engaging in various hostile activities directed against both China and Hong Kong during her meetings with foreign officials.
After the verdict, Anna expressed her outrage, stating that her father was convicted simply for being her parent. She emphasized that the charges were unfounded and merely a product of the government’s repression tactics. The Hong Kong Democracy Council echoed her sentiments, describing the case as a major escalation in a campaign of transnational repression aimed at discouraging dissent among Hong Kong activists abroad.
Details surrounding the insurance policy reveal that Kwok Yin-sang had purchased it for Anna during her childhood and that she assumed control of it upon turning 18. In 2025, he sought to terminate the policy and withdraw approximately $11,000, leading to his arrest for allegedly attempting to manage funds associated with an "absconder." His lawyer argued for a minimal sentence of 14 days, claiming there was no proof that Kwok intended to send the money directly to Anna. Despite the potential for a seven-year maximum sentence, the court, which typically imposes shorter sentences, ruled the prison term to be eight months.
This case is part of a larger pattern, as the Hong Kong police have issued bounties for other overseas activists, including former pro-democracy lawmakers Nathan Law and Ted Hui. In response to the actions against Hong Kong activists, both the U.S. and U.K. governments have decried the issuance of these bounties, denouncing them as a violation of human rights and an act of intimidation against dissenters.
Furthermore, in a related international response, the United States implemented sanctions against six Chinese and Hong Kong officials accused of involvement in acts of transnational repression. In reaction, Beijing announced it would sanction U.S. officials and lawmakers perceived to have mismanaged Hong Kong-related issues. Both the Hong Kong and Chinese governments insist that the 2024 national security law and the Beijing-imposed legislation from 2020 are essential for maintaining stability in the region.
