Singapore denies entry to Hong Kong activist Nathan Law, citing ‘national interests’

Nathan Law, a prominent pro-democracy activist who fled China’s sweeping crackdown on Hong Kong, was denied entry to Singapore despite arriving in the Southeast Asian city-state with a valid visa.

Law, a former lawmaker who left Hong Kong in 2020, stated he was detained and subsequently deported to the United States after landing on a Saturday to attend a “closed-door, invitation-only event.” Law, who is currently wanted by Hong Kong authorities under the territory’s controversial national security law, said he was held at the border for four hours before being informed he had been refused entry.

Living in exile in the United Kingdom, Law was given no explicit reason for the denial and was deported to San Francisco after about fourteen hours in Singapore.

“I was granted a visa, so I was legitimately expecting an entry. I think the decision to deny entry was political, although I am unsure whether external forces, such as the PRC, are involved, directly or indirectly,” Law told Al Jazeera, referring to the acronym of China’s official name, the People’s Republic of China. The Financial Times first reported the news.

Meanwhile, a spokesman for Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs told the South China Morning Post that Law had been denied entry when he arrived at Changi Airport from San Francisco on Saturday and was returned to the US city the next day.

“Law’s entry into and presence in the country would not be in Singapore’s national interests. A visa holder is still subject to further checks at the point of entry into the country,” the spokesman said.

Law, a co-founder of Demosisto, a pro-democracy activist group, was a leading pro-democracy campaigner until the 2020 security law effectively wiped out political opposition. Since his departure, Law has remained a vocal advocate for political rights and a persistent critic of Beijing.

Hong Kong authorities issued an arrest warrant for Law and seven other activists in 2023, citing provisions allowing prosecution for acts carried out overseas.

What is the significance of the national security law in Hong Kong?

Once known for its vibrant civil society, Hong Kong has dramatically curtailed dissent under the security law, which followed mass anti-government protests.

Since 2020, authorities have eliminated opposition parties, shut down critical media, and effectively outlawed public commemorations of politically sensitive events.

Beijing and the Hong Kong government have consistently defended the crackdown as a necessary and proportionate response to anti-government protests and other national security threats.