The police have arrested eight people on suspicion of releasing officers’ personal information online.
Those arrested on Tuesday night include six men and two women aged between 16 and 40. They were arrested for accessing computers with dishonest intent, disclosing personal information without approval, criminal destruction and threats of criminal destruction.
Superintendent Swalikh Mohammed of the Cyber Security and Technology Crime Bureau said the police would not rule out taking further action.
“The police strongly condemn criminal acts online. Laws apply to the online world as well,” he said.
He said the arrests were made after receiving around 800 reports from relevant police officers that their names and their family details, their identity card numbers and addresses were revealed online. Some police officers said they also received death threats, Mohammed said.
He said 150 cases have been referred to the privacy commissioner’s office.
Last month, police condemned leaks of officers’ personal information online, as the anti-extradition bill protests were ongoing.
Protesters have demanded the government to set an independent commission of inquiry to look into cases of alleged police violence on June 12, among other issues. But the government has yet to respond to the demand. As a result, protesters surrounded the police headquarters twice last month.
The ill-fated extradition bill, before its suspension by the government, caused thousands to surround the Legislative Council on June 12. Police used tear gas, rubber bullets and bean bag rounds to disperse protesters. Some protesters were then arrested at hospitals when seeking treatment.
