Welcome to Hard Talk with me, Stephen Sacker. My guest today is a young political activist who has

discovered just how hard it is to confront a nation state prepared to impose its will with ruthless

efficiency. Nathan Law was born in Shenzhen, mainland China, some 27 years ago. His family, poor and desperate for a better life,

moved to Hong Kong when he was six. By the time he graduated from high school, Nathan found

himself questioning Hong Kong's relationship with Beijing. He joined student activists calling for

greater freedom and democracy, and he became a leader of the so-called umbrella protests of 2014.

Since then, he's been arrested, founded a new political movement called Demosisto, been elected and then barred from the legislative council,

and become an internationally recognized spokesman

for the pro-democracy movement. But in recent weeks, his life has changed dramatically. China

imposed a draconian new national security law on the territory, clearly aimed at suppressing

anti-government pro-democracy protest.

Demosisto announced it was disbanding.

Nathan Law fled the territory and declared himself a political exile.

China's moves prompted loud condemnation from Western nations,

but protests in Hong Kong have been muted.

So, is Beijing's hardline strategy working? Well,

Nathan Law joins me now. Welcome to Hardtall. Thank you for the invitation.

Let's begin with your current situation. Why did you decide to flee Hong Kong? Well, as we all know, the Hong Kong government, well, at least accepted,

or the central government directly enacted the national security law in Hong Kong, which it is

written in such a bog and fake term that could, well, possibly be used as a legal weapon to

prosecute political activists that they wanted to do so. So for now, I think

most of the democratic activists in Hong Kong are in such a grave danger. But you have been prosecuted

...