cross-posted from: https://mander.xyz/post/43508884
A high-profile Hong Kong pro-democracy activist living in the UK has been the target of a harassment campaign involving letters containing fake, sexually explicit images of her sent to her neighbours.
Carmen Lau, 30, told the BBC she was “shocked” as the letters, delivered to addresses in Maidenhead from China, included her name and images made to look like she was either naked or in underwear and offering sexual services.
“The letters had a couple of very unpleasant images, AI-generated or photo-shopped… portraying me as a sex worker,” she said.
Ms Lau is among thousands of Hong Kong residents to seek sanctuary in the UK following the imposition of a controversial new national security law.
The city had been a British colony until 1997, when it was handed to China on the proviso it retained its democratic autonomy for the following 50 years.
…
Ms Lau moved to the UK in 2021 and has continued her advocacy work, frequently criticising China’s Communist leadership and speaking out about China’s controversial plans to build a “mega embassy” in London, warning that it could become a base for trans-national repression of China’s critics abroad.
…
“When I was in Hong Kong, pro-Beijing agents were trained to use gender-based harassment targeting pro-democracy activists,” she said.
“But AI technology has enhanced this sort of intimidation. It is beyond just transnational repression - as a woman, it is very worrying.”
Last year, up to a dozen of the same neighbours in Berkshire had received letters sent from Hong Kong, purporting to come from the police, offering a bounty payment of £95,000 to anyone who would hand Ms Lau over to the Chinese embassy in London.
The new letters - the existence of which was first reported by the Guardian - were sent last month from the Chinese territory of Macau, close to Hong Kong.
Another activist, Ted Hui, and his wife, who now live in Australia, have also been targeted with similar letters, the newspaper reports.
…
Reynolds told the BBC that the government needed “to be very clear that this is not acceptable, we cannot have these letters sent to UK residents”.
“We need to find out who sent these letters,” he said, adding: “Officials in Beijing need to be held accountable.”
Reynolds said he had raised the issue with both the Home Office and the Foreign Office.
A government spokesperson said: “The safety and security of Hong Kongers in the United Kingdom is of the utmost importance.”
Thames Valley Police, meanwhile, said it was investigating reports of a malicious communications offence involving digitally altered images.
“We are engaging with the victim and, at this time, no arrests have been made,” a spokesperson said.
…
The UK government has previously insisted that any attempt by a foreign power to intimidate, harass or harm individuals or communities would not be tolerated.
It has said the UK continues to raise concerns about transnational repression directly with the Chinese and Hong Kong authorities, and has publicly condemned the issuing of arrest warrants and bounties by the Hong Kong Police Force.
…