Anna Kwok

Cases
Case status
Unresolved
Location of case in SG report
2025-019-001
Relevant SG report
Year of the report
2025
Country Geolocation

Latitude: 35.86166

Longitude: 104.195397

Country Geolocation (linked Cases)
China
From Region
Dates of prior UN action
October 2023, November 2024
Type of record
Named individual
Gender
Female
Was the victim a foreign national?
No
Was the victim a minor?
No
Individual's/organization's activity
  1. According to information received by OHCHR, during the reporting period, two staff members of the Hong Kong Democracy Council (HKDC), Ms. Anna Kwok (Executive Director) and Ms. Carmen Lau, (Senior International Advocacy Associate), neither of whom resided in China, were allegedly the subject of reprisals for their past and ongoing cooperation with the United Nations, including in the context of the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review of China in the Human Rights Council.8 The work of both Ms. Kwok and Ms. Lau focused on human rights advocacy with the United Nations and its human rights mechanisms and with Member States.
Type of rights defended
  • Civil/political rights
Was the victim a civil servant or member of the security forces or of the judiciary?
No
Reported trigger of reprisal

past and ongoing cooperation with the United Nations, including in the context of the fourth cycle of the Universal Periodic Review of China in the Human Rights Council.8 The work of both Ms. Kwok and Ms. Lau focused on human rights advocacy with the United Nations and its human rights mechanisms and with Member States.

Engagement with UN body
  • Unclear
  • UN Human Rights Council: UPR
Type of attempted engagement
  • Participation in meeting on UN premises
  • Submission of information to UN
Dates of mentioned reprisals
24 December 2024
Location of mentioned reprisals
Hong Kong
Reprisal information
  1. On 24 December 2024, at an official press conference of the Government of HKSAR, the Secretary for Security announced the designation of seven individuals, including Ms. Anna Kwok, as “absconders” under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, and the revocation of their HKSAR passports, among other measures. The Secretary further informed that arrest warrants had been issued by the Court for all seven individuals.9 The same day, HKSAR Police issued a public appeal for information on Ms. Kwok, offering a reward of approximately 1 million HKD (around USD 130,000) for information leading to her arrest. The appeal stated that she was suspected of “collusion with foreign forces” under article 29 of the Hong Kong National Security Law (NSL),10 in connection with her meetings with foreign officials and political figures in her capacity as a member of HKDC, and her alleged engagement in other hostile actions against China, including HKSAR specifically, between September 2021 and February 2022.
  2. In October 2023, special procedure mandate holders expressed concerns on the arrest warrant issued in July 2023 against Ms. Anna Kwok and six other individuals in self-exile in the context of the first mass trial under the NSL (CHN 16/2023). In November 2024, OHCHR expressed grave concern about the use of the NSL to convict and impose harsh sentences on 45 people in HKSAR in the context of the mass trial, reiterating further that the United Nations Human Rights Office, special procedures and human rights treaty bodies had repeatedly called on the HKSAR authorities to repeal the NSL. The chilling effect of this law on human rights defenders and other parts of civil society was also noted.11
Types of reprisals suffered
  • Charge/Investigation/Prosecution: Charge/Investigation/Prosecution - General
  • Travel restriction
Alleged/likely perpetrators
State actors
Was the reprisal based on new legislation?
Yes
Does the report make general comment about country’s environment for engagement with UN?
Yes
Government response dates
18 July 2025
Government response content
  1. On 18 July 2025, the Government responded to the note verbale sent in connection to the present report, stating that, in accordance with the law, the State protects individuals and organizations engaged in normal exchanges and cooperation with the United Nations, and rejected the allegations of reprisals against those who cooperate with United Nations human rights mechanisms. The Government emphasized that China is governed by the rule of law, that judicial authorities act in accordance with the law, and that false allegations of reprisals against those cooperating with United Nations human rights mechanisms must not be used to interfere with lawful judicial proceedings or to advocate on behalf of offenders, as this undermines the rule of law and infringes on China’s judicial sovereignty, which China firmly opposes.
  2. The Government noted that the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR protects human rights in accordance with the Constitution of the People’s Republic of China and the Basic Law of the HKSAR. It noted that national security legislation requires respect for human rights, while emphasizing that rights and freedoms must be exercised within the law. The Government stated that HKSAR law enforcement actions strictly follow legal procedures and are based on evidence, adding that the HKSAR opposes any external interference in its judicial processes or attempts to influence judicial independence.
  3. Regarding the cases of Ms. Anna Kwok and Ms. Carmen Lau, the Government stated that the extraterritorial application of the HKSAR National Security Law is consistent with international law principles, and that its pursuit of wanted fugitives is in line with prevailing international practice.. It further noted that Ms. Kwok and Ms. Lau met with foreign officials and politicians and advocated for the imposition of sanctions against HKSAR, which, according to the Government, constituted threats to national security and did not represent legitimate cooperation with United Nations human rights mechanisms. The Government further affirmed that all law enforcement actions were lawful.
Was the case raised by a State at the UN?
Yes
Which State raised the case at the UN and when?

UK, HRC 60, September 2025

Is the country cited for a "pattern of reprisal" in the context of this case?
No
Is a pattern of reprisals mentioned otherwise in the context of this case?
No
Does the report cite "self-censorship" as an issue in the context of this case?
Yes