Nine years in prison for first Hong Kong man sentenced in name of national security law
The police gathered en masse in front of the High Court of Justice of Hong Kong during the first conviction under the law for the national security, July 30, 2021. AFP - ISAAC LAWRENCE
Text by: RFI Follow
4 min
A Hong Kong server was sentenced this Friday, July 30 to nine years in prison at the end of the first judgment rendered for a crime falling under the drastic national security law imposed by Beijing in the former British colony.
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The facts date back to July 1, 2020, the day the National Security Law entered into force.
Tong Ying-kit, 24, was
found guilty on Tuesday
of "
terrorism
" for rushing on a motorbike on three policemen, but also of "
secession
" because he was then waving a flag that
read
"
Free Hong Kong, the revolution of our time
”.
The formula had established itself as the main slogan of the immense popular mobilization of 2019.
The three judges ruled that the flag he was waving contained a slogan "
capable of inciting others to commit an act of secession
", and was therefore illegal.
On Friday, Tong Ying-kit was sentenced to eight years of detention for "
terrorism
" and 6.5 years of imprisonment for "
inciting secession
".
Considering that the two sentences could be partially commuted, the magistrates ultimately imposed nine years of imprisonment.
►
See also: Hong Kong: seven men sentenced for the attack on pro-democracy activists in 2019
The two-week trial took place without a jury, which marks a real break with Hong Kong legal tradition.
The three magistrates had been chosen by the Hong Kong executive to judge cases relating to national security.
More than 60 people have been charged under the National Security Law, which has emerged as the main tool in China's crackdown on the pro-democracy movement.
Among those prosecuted under this draconian text, notably appears the media mogul
Jimmy Lai,
ex-boss of the now defunct pro-democracy tabloid
Apple Daily.
Most have been denied bail and are awaiting trial behind bars.
►
To read also: Hong Kong: another ex-editor in chief of
Apple Daily
arrested
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Hong Kong: seven men sentenced for attack on pro-democracy activists in 2019
Hong Kong: first suspect convicted under national security law
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