A pro-democracy campaigner who fled Hong Kong has been denied entry to Singapore despite being granted a visa, with the city-state saying his presence would not be in its national interests.
Nathan Law, who lives in exile 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 hours before he was deported.
I was not asked questions and they did not give reason for the denial, he told the BBC.
Mr Law, who also previously served as a local legislator in Hong Kong, is one of eight exiled activists who is wanted by the city's authorities, who have accused him of endangering national security.
Singapore has an extradition treaty with Hong Kong.
Mr Law's entry into and presence in the country would not be in Singapore's national interests, said the ministry's spokesman in response to queries from the BBC.
The spokesman added that Mr Law was referred for questioning, and immigration and security assessment upon his arrival.
In a statement, Mr Law indicated he believes the denial of entry was for political reasons, questioning if external forces, including the People's Republic of China, were involved.
Mr Law was put on the earliest flight back to San Francisco, where he initially departed from. The organizers of the event he was due to attend declined to comment to the BBC.
The Hong Kong government urged Mr Law to cease activities they deem as endangering national security and return to Hong Kong.
In 2020, Mr Law fled Hong Kong after China imposed a national security law targeting dissent. He was granted asylum in the UK in 2021.
