The Hong Kong government has lashed out at countries harbouring criminals, especially fugitives involved in the social unrest that rocked the city in 2019, saying no society should allow anyone to break the law without facing legal consequences.

“They turn a blind eye to the offences committed by the criminals and disregard the potential security threats posed to the local community and residents,” a government spokesman said in a statement on Friday. “They shall eventually bear the consequences of what they have done.”

The statement came a day after Beijing accused Britain of sheltering wanted suspects by granting political asylum to Hong Kong fugitive and former opposition lawmaker Nathan Law Kwun-chung, and demanded London reverse the decision.

Law said on Wednesday night the British Home Office had classified him as a refugee under the United Nations’ Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees, and offered him asylum.

“I hope that my case can help the Home Office understand more about the complicated situation in Hong Kong. To free more protesters from Beijing’s authoritarian oppression, the Home Office could consider more comprehensive evidence when coping with Hong Kong cases,” the former student leader wrote on social media.

Apart from Law, a number of prominent activists have also fled charges in Hong Kong. They include fugitive ex-lawmaker Ted Hui Chi-fung, ousted pro-independence lawmaker Sixtus Baggio Leung Chung-hang and activist Ray Wong Toi-yeung, who are based in Australia, the United States and Germany, respectively.

The spokesman said the Hong Kong government strongly disapproved of harbouring criminals in any form by any country, region, organisation or individual.

“Following a series of riots and illegal acts advocating ‘Hong Kong independence’ since June 2019, a number of criminals who, having committed serious offences in Hong Kong such as serious wounding … [and] collusion with a foreign country or with external elements to endanger national security, etc, absconded to evade legal responsibilities,” the spokesman said.

“These criminals made up numerous excuses, including lying to the court for approval to leave Hong Kong and alleging that they were prosecuted for political reasons to deliberately escape justice. These are shameful and cowardly acts.”

Hui first left Hong Kong for Denmark on November 30, supposedly to attend climate change meetings in the capital Copenhagen. The ruse helped him to secure court approval to leave Hong Kong while awaiting trial on nine charges.

The spokesman also said that in Hong Kong, arrests and prosecutions were made based on criminal acts and had nothing to do with the political background or thoughts of the people concerned.

“Arrest and prosecution are based on facts and evidence … The Department of Justice controls criminal prosecutions, free from any interference. Hong Kong has an independent judiciary with the power of final adjudication. Everyone shall receive a fair and just trial,” he added.

The spokesman argued that any country or individual that harboured Hong Kong criminals showed contempt for the rule of law, and “barbarically interfered” in the city’s affairs.