China cracks down on suspected colluders in joint operation

In a notable escalation of national security enforcement, China's national security authorities in Hong Kong, along with the local police, conducted their first publicly acknowledged joint operation. This operation involved raiding the residences of six individuals who are under suspicion for colluding with foreign entities to jeopardize national security. The operation took place following the enactment of the controversial national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020, which has since been utilized to target numerous activists and critics of the government. The police announcement, made late Thursday, did not reveal the identities of the individuals nor the specific organization involved in these alleged violations, emphasizing that investigations are still in progress. Officers also conducted searches at the office of the involved organization, seizing various exhibits, including bank documents and electronic devices that may further aid the investigation. The six individuals who were targeted in the raids were required to surrender their travel documents, effectively restricting their movement as part of the ongoing investigation. Since the national security law was implemented, numerous prominent activists, including Joshua Wong, have faced prosecution, with Wong being recently charged under the law again, potentially facing life imprisonment for his alleged conspiracy to collude with foreign forces. This operation seems to mark an increase in local enforcement efforts just as the fifth anniversary of the national security law approaches. The Hong Kong authorities have intensified their focus on activities deemed as secessionist while claiming to safeguard stability in the region. This approach includes the scrutiny of various platforms that allegedly promote anti-government sentiments, such as a mobile gaming application that authorities accused of advocating armed revolution. Beijing and Hong Kong officials argue that such stringent measures were necessary to restore order and security following widespread protests that occurred in 2019, as public discontent grew against the central government's encroachment on local autonomy. The upsurge in operations and the recent charges against activists reflect a broader crackdown on dissent and a rapid decline in political freedoms in Hong Kong since the national security law's enactment.