Singapore has barred Nathan Law, a prominent pro-democracy activist from Hong Kong, from entering the country, citing national interests. Law gained recognition as a student leader during Hong Kong’s 2014 Umbrella Movement and later received political asylum in the UK. He arrived in Singapore from San Francisco on September 27, where he underwent immigration and security assessments, according to the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Following questioning, Law was denied entry and placed on a return flight to San Francisco the next day. The ministry noted that an arrest warrant had been issued for Law by Hong Kong police under the city’s national security law. A ministry spokesperson stated, “Law’s entry into and presence in the country would not be in Singapore’s national interests,” emphasizing that visa holders are subject to scrutiny upon entry.
In 2023, Law was identified among eight democracy activists whom Hong Kong Chief Executive John Lee vowed to pursue indefinitely after they sought refuge in countries such as the US, Canada, and Australia. The Hong Kong authorities allege that Law engaged in incitement to secession and colluded with foreign forces, placing a HK$1 million ($128,526) bounty on each fugitive.
The US government condemned these actions as forms of transnational repression, while the Hong Kong government dismissed such claims as slander, defending its measures as legitimate.
On the day of his attempted entry, Law stated that he had traveled to Singapore for a conference with a valid visa obtained three weeks prior. He reported being detained for four hours at immigration and receiving no explanation for the denial of entry. Law remarked that this was his first experience of being refused entry into a country.
He speculated that Chinese influence or Singapore’s internal political considerations might have led to this decision. In a statement, the Hong Kong government asserted that Law is suspected of committing offenses under the national security law after leaving the territory and urged him to surrender. A spokesperson reiterated, “Fugitives will be pursued for life unless they turn themselves in.”
China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has not commented on the matter. The Financial Times was the first to report Law’s entry denial. Law fled to London in 2020 after the implementation of the national security law in Hong Kong, which severely restricted freedoms previously enjoyed in the city. If he returns to Hong Kong, he faces immediate arrest under this legislation. Additionally, traveling to Singapore poses risks given the country’s extradition agreement with Hong Kong; however, other nations like Germany and Australia have suspended their agreements since the law’s enactment.
