HONG KONG—Hong Kong police arrested nine people on Saturday who they said aided a group of antigovernment activists—known locally as the Hong Kong 12—that attempted to flee the city by boat only to be intercepted by mainland authorities and taken to China, where they now await trial. The arrests, which police said came after they received information from their mainland counterparts, were the latest in a deepening campaign against dissent in Hong Kong, which for more than a year has seen waves of mass protest against China’s Communist Party government. If charged and convicted, they could face up to 10 years in prison, police said. Hong Kong Police Senior Superintendent Ho Chun-tung said police also seized more than 500,000 Hong Kong dollars, or about $64,000, and receipts for transactions related to the boat. He said the 12 activists each paid tens of thousands of Hong Kong dollars to be smuggled out.

Source: Wall Street Journal October 10, 2020 11:26 UTC