Anna’s story demonstrates how reprisals can extend far beyond borders and reach the families of those who speak out.

Because of her human rights advocacy and international engagement, Anna has become the target of a growing campaign of transnational repression. Hong Kong authorities have publicly designated her as a wanted person under national security legislation, issued an arrest warrant against her, revoked her passport, and offered a financial reward for information leading to her arrest.

The United Nations has raised concerns about actions taken against Anna and other activists living in exile, highlighting the chilling effect that national security laws can have on human rights defenders and civil society. In 2025, Anna’s case was included in the UN Secretary-General’s report on reprisals, in connection with her ongoing engagement with UN human rights mechanisms.

But the impact of transnational repression is not limited to those directly targeted.

In 2026, Anna’s father was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment in in what human rights groups described as the first known persecution of a family member of an exiled Hong Kong activist under national security legislation. His prosecution raised serious concerns about the targeting of family members as a means of punishing and intimidating human rights defenders beyond borders.

Anna’s experience illustrates how reprisals follow defenders into exile and reach the people closest to them.