The former leader of Hong Kong pro-independence group Studentlocalism has been sentenced to 43 months in prison on charges of secession and money laundering.
Key points:
- Hong Kong’s security law punishes acts Beijing deems as subversion, secession, terrorism or collusion with foreign forces
- A District Court judge said Mr Chung “actively organised, planned and implemented activities to separate the country”
- Studentlocalism disbanded before Hong Kong’s security law came into effect in June 2020
Tony Chung, 20, was charged on Tuesday under Hong Kong’s sweeping national security law and was denied bail.
Mr Chung was originally detained in October 2020 along with two others near the US consulate, before he could make a bid for asylum.
Mr Chung entered into a plea deal, admitting guilt on the charge of secession and one count of money laundering.
The plea reduced his sentence down to 40 months for the secession charge and 18 months for money laundering, but only three months of the latter charge will be served separately — resulting in a total sentence of 43 months.
District Court Judge Stanley Chan said Mr Chung “actively organised, planned and implemented activities to separate the country”.
Prosecutor Ivan Cheung said the defendant acted as an administrator for the Facebook pages of the US branch of Studentlocalism and the Initiative Independence Party.
Pro-independence T-shirts, flags and books were also seized from his home, Mr Cheung said.
The money laundering charge related to donations he received via PayPal.
Like many other anti-government organisations, Studentlocalism disbanded before Beijing imposed the security law on Hong Kong in June 2020.
The law punishes anything Beijing deems as subversion, secession, terrorism or collusion with foreign forces with up to life in prison.
Since the enactment of the security law, Hong Kong has taken a swift authoritarian turn, with most democratic politicians now in jail or in self-exile.
Dozens of civil society organisations have folded, and some international rights groups have left the city.
Chinese and Hong Kong authorities deny the security law impedes individual rights and say the legislation was necessary to restore stability after mass street protests in 2019.
The former British colony returned to Chinese rule in 1997 with the promise of a high degree of autonomy.
Democracy activists and some Western governments say China broke that promise — an allegation that Beijing vehemently denies.
Reuters
