Ex-Hong Kong lawmaker says accounts frozen after he sought exile

Former Hong Kong lawmaker Ted Hui said on Sunday his local bank accounts appeared to have been frozen after he said he would seek exile in Britain to continue his pro-democratic activities.

Hui said the banks accounts belonging to him, his wife and his parents in Bank of China Hong Kong, HSBC and Hang Seng Bank were frozen.

Hui said on Thursday he had fled after facing criminal charges and would seek exile in Britain. He was one of the pro-democracy activists arrested last month and charged with disturbing legislature proceedings.

Democracy activists say conditions have worsened in the former British colony after China imposed security legislation on the financial hub in June, making anything Beijing regards as subversion, secession, terrorism or colluding with foreign forces punishable by up to life in prison.

China, however, have always denied curbing rights and freedoms.

Local media reported that at least five accounts worth hundreds of thousands of US dollars belonging to Hui and his family, all of whom are now in Britain, had been inaccessible since Saturday. When asked, he replied in affirmative to Reuters.

Hui contacted the banks and was told there were "remarks" placed on his accounts, but the staff refused to provide further information, Hong Kong`s South China Morning Post reported.

Hui arrived in Copenhagen last week on an official invitation from Danish lawmakers.