Singapore has denied entry to exiled Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Nathan Law, despite granting him a visa, saying his presence “would not be in national interests.”
Law, who lives in the UK, said he arrived in Singapore on Saturday to attend a closed-door, invitation-only conference but was detained at the border for four hours before being turned away. “I was not asked questions and they did not give reason for the denial,” he said.
Singapore’s Ministry of Home Affairs confirmed the decision, noting that Law is wanted by Hong Kong authorities for allegedly endangering national security. “Mr Law’s entry into and presence in the country would not be in Singapore’s national interests,” a spokesman said, adding that visa holders remain subject to immigration and security checks upon arrival.
The activist was put on the earliest flight back to San Francisco on Sunday. Law, who holds a UK Refugee Travel Document, said his visa had been approved three weeks prior and suggested the denial was politically motivated. “I am unsure whether external forces, such as the PRC, are involved, directly or indirectly,” he said.
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A former Hong Kong legislator, Law fled the city in 2020 after Beijing imposed a sweeping national security law. He was granted asylum in the UK in 2021. Hong Kong authorities have since offered rewards of HK$1 million ($128,000; £95,000) for information leading to the arrest of Law and other exiled activists.
Singapore has long taken a cautious stance toward foreign political issues. In 2019, the city-state fined a Singaporean activist for hosting an online forum that featured prominent Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong via teleconference.
The organisers of the Singapore event Law was scheduled to attend have declined to comment.
