Exiled Hong Kong pro-democracy activists living in Australia have become targets of a disturbing intimidation campaign, receiving anonymous letters and pamphlets with antisemitic content mailed from Chinese-controlled territories. The campaign has drawn condemnation from Jewish groups and Australian government officials.
The Targets#
Ted Hui, a former Hong Kong legislator now residing in Adelaide, and Kevin Yam, a Melbourne-based activist, are both wanted by Hong Kong authorities for allegedly breaching the territory’s controversial national security law. Both fled to Australia after the law granted authorities sweeping extraterritorial powers to prosecute acts or comments made anywhere in the world deemed criminal.
The Attacks#
Adelaide - Antisemitic Pamphlets: Hui discovered that pamphlets were sent to several mosques in Adelaide falsely accusing him of being a pro-Israel lawyer willing to “wage war” against Islamic terrorism. The pamphlet, mailed from Macau, falsely quotes Hui as saying: “I am a pro-Jewish man and siding with Israel to wage war against those Islamic terrorism.”
Melbourne - Bounty Letters: Kevin Yam received anonymous letters purporting to offer a police bounty of $203,000 for information about him, linking him to nearby locations. The letter was mailed from Hong Kong.
Official Condemnation#
Jewish Community Response: Alex Ryvchin, co-chief executive of the Executive Council of Australian Jewry, called the tactics “disgusting,” noting that “referring to one’s enemy or opponent as a Jew is an ugly feature of antisemitic discourse.”
Australian Government: Foreign Minister Penny Wong stated the government would “not accept any one of our citizens or on our shores to be bullied or harassed or threatened by a foreign power.”
Opposition: Shadow Home Affairs Minister James Paterson described the pamphlet as “a crude attempt to weaponise antisemitism for the purposes of foreign interference.”
Human Rights Concerns#
Maya Wang, associate China director at Human Rights Watch, urged the Australian government to investigate and hold those responsible accountable. She explained the intent: “It is to make the activists feel like ‘rats crossing the streets’… to make them feel ashamed, unsafe, hunted, no matter where they are in the world.”
Wang noted that while it’s unclear who sent the letters, the tactics appear similar to those allegedly used by Chinese and Hong Kong governments “to paint a target on the backs of those they don’t like.”
Official Responses#
The Chinese government has previously denied involvement in similar campaigns in the UK but said it was reasonable to pursue “fugitives.”
The Hong Kong government said it would not send anonymous letters but stressed it would “take every measure” to pursue anyone accused of breaching its national security laws.
Australian government sources confirmed the material targeting Yam and Hui has been raised with Chinese and Hong Kong government officials.
Implications for Asian Diaspora#
This case highlights several challenges facing pro-democracy activists from Hong Kong and other Asian communities in exile:
Transnational Repression: The use of intimidation tactics against political refugees demonstrates how authoritarian governments attempt to silence critics even after they’ve fled to democratic countries.
Weaponization of Social Divisions: The deliberate use of antisemitic rhetoric and attempts to sow division between religious communities represents a sophisticated form of psychological warfare.
Community Safety: The targeting of activists’ nearby locations and religious institutions raises concerns about the safety of entire diaspora communities, not just prominent figures.
Democratic Values Under Threat: The campaign tests Australia’s commitment to protecting political refugees and maintaining its democratic values against foreign interference.
Diaspora Solidarity: The incident underscores the importance of solidarity between different diaspora communities—Jewish, Muslim, and Asian—against attempts to divide them through hate and misinformation.
A Global Pattern#
Similar campaigns targeting Hong Kong activists have been documented in the UK, Canada, and the United States, suggesting a coordinated transnational effort to silence critics of the Hong Kong and Chinese governments.
The Australian case is particularly notable for its attempt to weaponize religious and ethnic tensions—sending antisemitic material to mosques in a transparent attempt to create community conflict and isolate the activist.
For Asian communities in Australia and worldwide, the case serves as a reminder that political persecution doesn’t end at national borders, and that protecting democracy requires vigilance and solidarity across all communities.
