Australia on Saturday granted asylum to pro-democracy Hong Kong activist Ted Hui, who is facing criminal charges in the Chinese city over the 2019 pro-democracy protests.

In a social media post, Hui confirmed his asylum in Australia.

Hui said his asylum application was approved by the Australian Department of Home Affairs on Friday and that his family members were also granted visas.

"I express my sincere gratitude to the Government of Australia — both present and former — for recognizing our need for asylum and granting us this protection," he said in a Facebook post on Saturday.

Who is Ted Hui?

Hui is among several pro-democracy activists who fled Hong Kong after they were charged with criminal offenses. They were targeted in 2023 by police bounties of HK$1 million ($127,843 million; €109,428) each.

In a Facebook post, Hui urged the Australian government to do more for other Hong Kong activists who remained jailed.

"Australia must do more to rescue them and to speak up for their humanity," Hui said.

A prominent critic of China and the Hong Kong authorities, Hui, a former Democratic Party lawmaker, left Hong Kong in 2020.

"When people around me say 'congratulations' to me, although I politely thank them, I can't help but feel sad in my heart. How to congratulate a political refugee who misses his hometown?" posted on Facebook.

"If it weren't for political persecution, I would never have thought of living in a foreign land. Immigrants can always return to their hometowns to visit relatives at any time. Exiles have no home."

Edited by: Jenipher Camino Gonzalez