• Anna Kwok's father and brother arrested for dealings with her finances.
• They are the first family members charged under Hong Kong's national security law.
• Kwok is wanted for alleged collusion with foreign forces.
• A bounty of HK$1 million has been placed on Anna Kwok.
• The arrests signal a broadened crackdown on pro-democracy activists' support networks.

National security police in Hong Kong have arrested the father and brother of activist Anna Kwok, charging them with allegedly handling the financial assets of an absconder, marking a new phase in the city's enforcement of its controversial national security law. The arrests occurred on April 30, and the suspects are ages 68 and 35, according to local reports, which confirm their identities as Kwok’s father, Kwok Yin-sang, and her brother. This action represents the first instance of relatives being charged under the law in a significant extension of its reach, according to SCMP, Reuters, and Channel News Asia.

Anna Kwok, aged 28, has been living in the U.S. since her departure from Hong Kong in January 2020 amid legal troubles related to her activism. She is listed among a group of 19 wanted activists facing charges of colluding with foreign forces, with law enforcement intensifying pressure on supporters of the pro-democracy movement. Authorities claim her father had tried to access her insurance policy, which could provide funds for her, thereby violating the law, as reported by BBC and Reuters.

The charges include accusations that Kwok Yin-sang attempted to indirectly deal with financial resources belonging to his activist daughter, facing up to seven years in prison if convicted. His son has been released on bail pending further investigations. The ongoing arrests and legal actions have drawn sharp condemnation from the United States, which views these actions as continued harassment of pro-democracy activists and their families, according to Channel News Asia and BBC.

Kwok has characterized the legal actions against her family as part of a broader strategy by the Hong Kong government, asserting that it aims to intimidate pro-democracy activists and their supporters. This arrest of her family members follows a pattern of the authorities attempting to undermine the pro-democracy movement by targeting not just the activists but also their relatives, as reported by SCMP, Reuters, Channel News Asia, and BBC.