The United States announced sanctions on Friday against six Hong Kong or central government officials it blamed for implementing a new security law in Hong Kong, following the mass arrests of pro-democracy activists this month, Reuters reports. "This action by Hong Kong authorities is yet another stark example of Hong Kong's freedoms and democratic processes being fundamentally undermined," US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said in a statement. Sun Qingye, deputy director of the central government's national security office in Hong Kong, was also designated. Three officers of the National Security Division of the Hong Kong police were named – Frederic Choi Chin-pang, Kelvin Kong Hok-lai, and Andrew Kan Kai-yan. Pompeo said all were associated with "developing, adopting, or implementing the National Security Law."

Source: The Standard January 16, 2021 03:33 UTC