Polly Truscott, Amnesty International UK’s Foreign Policy Director, said:
“This case lays bare the Hong Kong government’s chilling determination to intimidate, harass and spy on Hong Kong activists living in the UK, including going so far as to use a Home Office database to track down activists and people from Hong Kong claiming asylum in the UK.
“Hong Kong’s repression knows no borders – it is exporting directly into UK society the same climate of fear that silences people in the territory and in mainland China.
“Students, activists, and those seeking asylum here must have their personal security and privacy protected and be able to exercise their rights to freedom of expression, opinion and peaceful protest without fear of foreign interference and intimidation.
“UK police and other government authorities at all levels need to recognise the extent of the transnational repression that threatens Hong Kong communities in Britain and work together to stop Hong Kong’s authoritarian attempts to monitor, threaten and silence them.”
Transnational repression
Amnesty International has repeatedly documented Hong Kong and Chinese governments’ use of transnational repression, including the surveillance and intimidation of students and activists in the UK.
In July 2025, a report by the UK Parliament’s Joint Committee on Human Rights exposed major gaps in the Government’s response. These included the lack of a clear definition of transnational repression, the absence of a dedicated reporting mechanism, inconsistent policing responses, and a failure to collect even basic data and reporting on the scale of the threat.
The committee warned that these gaps leave activists vulnerable and gave the Government 12 months to put effective protections in place for those most at risk and a strategy for community engagement.