Authorities have confirmed that sexually explicit letters and “lonely housewife” posters targeting high-profile pro-democracy activists from Hong Kong have been sent to addresses in the United Kingdom and Australia. This alarming trend is a new type of transnational harassment. Critics claim that it is intended to intimidate all those who would dare speak against the Chinese Communist Party’s control over Hong Kong.
Carmen Lau, an exiled pro-democracy activist and former district councillor, has become one of the best-known victims of this campaign. While reports indicate letters were mailed to Lau’s previous neighbors in Maidenhead, UK. The letters included digitally manipulated images of her being sold as a webcam model, depicting her as a sex worker. At least six residents were sent these letters. To illustrate that point, we said they graphically imposed Lau’s face on the bodies of nude and semi-nude women.
The letters describe the experience in graphic detail, including Jane’s personal information. They list Lau’s name and purported body measurements. After finding out about the letters, Lau said she was in disbelief and terrified.
Lau explained, “When I go out, I always wear a hat or face mask to protect my identity and shield myself from these threats that have affected my everyday life. I’m a woman and so they threaten me in this way.”
In a parallel track, Ted Hui, an exiled former Hong Kong legislator and his wife have similarly been pursued. This promotional poster for Hui’s wife to operate as a sex worker was delivered to general mail addresses across Australia. This advertisement featured a throwback picture of the married couple with the caption “Hong Kong lonely housewife.” On top of that, it showed a tray of sexual service with prices tagged in Aussie dollars.
According to reports, the letters and posters were mailed from Macau, a semi-autonomous territory of China located just south of Hong Kong. To send all these sensitive materials to the location they have chosen is deeply alarming. It indicates that the Chinese government is actively orchestrating these acts of intimidation.
Joshua Reynolds, the newly elected Conservative Member of Parliament for Maidenhead, urged the withholding of the mailings on grounds of transnational repression “without question.” As he discussed government responses, he emphasized the strong need for aggressive government intervention. This means imposing sanctions on said officials enabling or financing campaigns on the ground against activists residing in Britain.
“It’s the point now where it’s Beijing’s efforts to intimidate and to threaten pro-democracy Hongkongers,” Reynolds remarked. He further added, “It’s utterly grotesque what they’re doing, and now is the point where the government can’t stick their head in the sand when it comes to the safety of Hongkongers in our country.”
Thames Valley Police continues to investigate these incidents. Specifically, they are zeroing in on reports coded as malicious communications offenses. The police have asked anybody who was affected to approach them with information that may help their investigation.
Lau’s experience has forced her to relocate. She first started receiving bounty reward letters in March. During this time, the recent discovery of at least 24 more harassing letters has caused her to feel “frightened” for her safety and quality of life.
As these alarming events continue to unfold, critical questions are being raised. Members of the public are understandably concerned about how the activists’ personal information was accessed and why specific individuals were targeted. One resident in Adelaide, who received the poster about Hui’s wife, expressed confusion and concern: “How did they get our address? Why did they pick us? It just doesn’t make sense.”
In response, a spokesperson for the Chinese embassy argued that pursuing wanted fugitives is “legitimate and reasonable.” They stressed that those who have run away abroad need to be brought to justice rather than escaping justice through what they referred to as “shady and sadfishing.” Tension has escalated between pro-democracy activists in Hong Kong and the Chinese government. The government’s heavy-handed attempts to suppress dissent only exacerbate the situation.