All the members of Hong Kong’s Legislative Council (LegCo) have expressed their full support for lawful actions of the Hong Kong Police Force to apprehend national security offenders who fled overseas.

The legislators rejected and denounced what they termed "biased, groundless, smearing and double-standard remarks" by some Western politicians against the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region government's lawful pursuit of individuals who endangered national security.

The statement came days after police had accused 19 people of allegedly organizing, establishing, or participating in an overseas subversive group called “The Hong Kong Parliament”, suspected of violating the Hong Kong National Security Law (HKNSL).

Stressing that safeguarding national security is the highest principle of “one country, two systems”, all members of the seventh LegCo said in a statement issued on Thursday night that it is the constitutional duty and the bottom line of the HKSAR that the SAR government fully and faithfully implement and resolutely protect the authority of the HKNSL and the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance.

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Fugitives endangering national security who fled overseas are challenging the bottom line of “one country, two systems” and the HKSAR’s national security, they said.

“They blatantly organized the so-called ‘election’ for the ‘Hong Kong Parliament’, seriously violating the Basic Law and the HKNSL, and undermining the Constitution and constitutional order of the HKSAR as established by the Basic Law. The unlawful election is nothing but a farce,” reads the statement.

The absconders aimed to disrupt the hard-earned stability and peace in Hong Kong, and attempted to commit the offense of subversion of state power, seriously endangering national security, it added.

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“The HKSAR government’s decisive and swift law enforcement actions are not only righteous, but also reasonable, legal and constitutional,” the statement said, adding that the actions are also widely supported by various sectors of the community.

All LegCo members resolutely support the statement issued by the Office for Safeguarding National Security of the Central People’s Government in the HKSAR, and firmly support sanctions against the fugitives in order to safeguard national security and the stability of Hong Kong, it added.

The 19 wanted individuals include nine accused of forming the alleged subversive group: Elmer Yuen Gong-yi, Victor Ho Leung-mau, Johnny Fok Ka-chi, Choi Ming-da, Chan Lai-chun, Feng Chongyi, Sasha Gong, Ng Man-yan, and Tsang Wai-fan, with a view to achieving “self-determination” and subverting State power.

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The remaining 10 — Chin Po-fun, Ha Hoi-chun, Hau Chung-yu, Ho Wing-yau, Keung Ka-wai, Tony Lam, Agnes Ng, Wong Chun-wah, Wong Sau-wo, and Zhang Xinyan — are alleged to have participated in the group’s elections and taken oaths as members.

Bounties totaling HK$1 million each have been placed on Yuen, Ho, Fok, and Choi, while the other 15 face rewards of HK$200,000 for information leading to their arrest.