Two men, including a former British immigration officer, have been jailed for spying on prominent pro-democracy dissidents based in the United Kingdom on behalf of Hong Kong and ultimately China. Chung Biu "Bill" Yuen, 66, and Chi Leung "Peter" Wai, 41, were sentenced on Thursday after being convicted last month of assisting a foreign intelligence service.

The surveillance operation targeted dissidents between December 2023 and May 2024. Wai, who worked for the UK Border Force, was also convicted of misusing his position to search the interior ministry's database for information about targets. Both men, dual Chinese and British nationals, denied the accusations.

Judge Bobbie Cheema-Grubb stated that modern foreign intelligence activity is not confined to orthodox espionage but includes surveillance, information gathering, and intimidation of dissidents who have sought UK protection. She sentenced Yuen to eight years and Wai to ten years in prison.

Commander Helen Flanagan, head of counter-terrorism policing in London, described their actions as "truly chilling," noting they targeted pro-democracy campaigners protesting against Hong Kong and Chinese authorities. The Chinese embassy in London dismissed the case as a "political move of abusing the law."

Wai and Yuen were arrested after a failed attempt to snatch former Hong Kong resident Monica Kwong from her flat in Pontefract, West Yorkshire, on May 1, 2024. This is believed to be the first conviction for spying for China in the UK.

Source: www.aljazeera.com