Hong Kong Activist Condemns Harassment of Wife in Australia with Sex Worker Posters
A Hong Kong pro-democracy activist living in South Australia has publicly condemned the deliberate targeting of his wife with deeply offensive and harassing material delivered to his Adelaide workplace. The incident, involving fabricated posters depicting his wife as a sex worker, underscores a disturbing escalation in transnational repression tactics employed against exiled dissidents.
Escalating Harassment Campaign
The activist, identified as Ted Hui, described the posters as explicitly advertising sexual services, featuring a photograph of him and his wife under the title “Hong Kong lonely housewife,” complete with fabricated fees. Hui further stated that a QR code on the posters linked to his personal Facebook page, indicating a clear intent to cause maximum personal and professional damage. “It’s… harassment, portraying my wife as a sex worker doing promotion and inviting customers,” Hui told SBS News.
This latest incident marks a significant shift in the harassment Hui has faced since seeking refuge in Australia in 2021. Previously, in March, his office received a letter originating from Hong Kong offering a reward for information leading to his and his family’s whereabouts, an act condemned by Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong as “a threat to [Australian] national security.” However, this is the first time the harassment has been directly aimed at his wife.
“She’s more speechless, didn’t know how to react to it,” Hui said, explaining his wife’s distress. “As a wife of a politician, she understands that she will be under some pressure and spotlight, but not this kind, which is very immoral.”
Warrants and the “Hong Kong Parliament”
Hui is currently one of four Australian residents facing overseas arrest warrants issued by Hong Kong’s national security police. He was initially arrested in Hong Kong in 2020 and is among over a dozen individuals accused of organizing or participating in the unofficial “Hong Kong Parliament.” Authorities in Hong Kong allege this group aims to achieve self-determination and draft a “Hong Kong constitution,” actions they claim constitute an attempt to subvert state power under the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020 following the 2019 pro-democracy protests.
A Pattern of Transnational Repression
The harassment extends beyond Australian borders. According to reports in The Guardian, Hong Kong activist Carmen Lau has also been subjected to similar sexually explicit harassment in the United Kingdom. Neighbors in Maidenhead received fake posters featuring deepfake images of Lau, with the materials reportedly originating from Macau, a Special Administrative Region of China. Lau described herself as “terrified” by the letters.
Despite these ongoing threats, Hui maintains that his family feels “safe” in Adelaide and has reported the latest incident to the police. He believes his experience serves as a stark warning to Australian society about the reach of transnational oppression.
“Even though I’m legally and safely protected by the Australian government, but they have other means, at community level, at personal level, they can still infiltrate into Australian soil,” Hui stated.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been approached for comment. This case highlights the growing challenge of protecting exiled activists from harassment and intimidation originating from authoritarian regimes, even within the borders of democratic nations.
