Democracy activist Agnes Chow says she still feels under the Hong Kong police’s watch in Canada

BANGKOK — Pro-democracy activist Agnes Chow, who left Hong Kong for Canada and won’t return to meet her bail conditions, said Thursday she felt still under the watch of the Chinese territory’s police even after moving to Toronto.

Chow is one of Hong Kong’s most prominent young activists and was arrested in 2020 under a Beijing-imposed national security law that was enacted following 2019 anti-government protests. While she was not charged and was released on bail, police confiscated her passport before returning her this year under certain conditions, including a visit to mainland China with authorities.

Chow said in an interview with The Associated Press that Hong Kong’s national security police called her twice to ask her about her status after she left the city to pursue further studies in September.

“They keep trying to make me feel like I’m under their eyes,” she said.

The intimidation of Hong Kong dissidents like Chow reflected the severe erosion of the freedoms promised to the former British colony when it returned to China in 1997. But both the Beijing and Hong Kong governments have hailed the security law for bringing back stability to the city.

On Tuesday, Hong Kong leader John Lee hit out at Chow’s decision to not return to Hong Kong to fulfil her bail conditions. He called Chow a “liar” and said the police’s attempt to offer her lenient treatment eventually led to them being deceived. Chow would be pursued for life unless she turns herself in, he added.

But Chow rejected the government’s claims that police had offered her leniency, insisting she only felt infringement of her personal safety and freedom. She said the restrictions imposed by the authorities on her daily life had badly affected her mental health.