In violation of a supervision order, a well-known pro-democracy activist left Hong Kong to seek asylum in the UK.
Tony Chung, 22, told the BBC that he had experienced “enormous amount of stress” from police in Hong Kong, where he was constantly being watched.
Additionally, he stated that he was forced to become a paid informant by the police, providing details about other activists.
Chung was found guilty of inciting Hong Kong’s independence in violation of a strict security statute. his sentence was completed in June. However, he claims that after being freed, he was placed in “an even bigger and more dangerous prison” than the one he had just left. Due to a one-year supervision order, he had to request authorization in order to travel outside Hong Kong.
On December 20, the authorities gave him permission to travel to Japan for a six-day vacation. He claimed that while he was there, he broke down in tears at the idea of staying in Hong Kong and made the decision to apply for asylum in the UK.
Chung is just one of many demonstrators in favour of democracy who have left Hong Kong in recent times.
Beijing enforced a stringent national security law in 2019, citing the need to restore stability to the city after months of widespread protests. The laws, which forbid a variety of dissenting expressions, have been frequently applied to activists such as Chung.
