Washington, April 1 (IANS) The US Department of State has imposed sanctions on six individuals from Beijing and Hong Kong, accusing them of undermining the autonomy of Hong Kong and engaging in transnational repression.
The sanctions are a response to actions that have been seen as a violation of Hong Kong’s freedoms and its people’s rights, with particular focus on the enforcement of the National Security Law (NSL) and the international targeting of individuals, including those in the United States.
The Department of State released a statement saying, “This includes five individuals for their role as leaders or officials of the Hong Kong government that have engaged in actions or policies that have degraded the autonomy of Hong Kong, including in connection with transnational repression targeting individuals residing in the United States, and one individual for their role in implementing the National Security Law.”
These sanctions, according to the statement, are in alignment with several US laws, including the United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992, the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act of 2019, and the Hong Kong Autonomy Act of 2020.
The actions come amid ongoing US efforts to hold accountable those responsible for depriving Hong Kong residents of their protected rights and freedoms.
In addition to imposing sanctions, the US Department of State also highlighted the extraterritorial use of Hong Kong’s National Security Law.
The law has been used to intimidate, silence, and harass pro-democracy activists, some of whom were forced to flee overseas, including a US citizen and several other US residents. The Department stressed that these actions exemplify China’s ongoing violation of international commitments and its systematic repression of dissent.
The Department’s press release also stated that the Hong Kong Policy Act Report, published alongside this announcement, serves as further proof of the United States’ commitment to holding individuals accountable for such actions. This report has certified that Hong Kong no longer warrants differential treatment under US laws, a shift that came after the territory’s handover to China in 1997.
As a result of these sanctions, the assets and property of the designated individuals within the United States or under US control are blocked, and US persons are prohibited from engaging in any transactions with them unless authorised by the US Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
These prohibitions aim to limit the ability of those responsible for repression to access or use US-based assets and resources.
–IANS
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