Lee Cheuk-yan, Yeung Sum, Albert Ho, Leung Kwok Hung, Tsoi Yiu Cheong and others chant slogans before the hearing to protest against the Hong Kong government’s political prosecution. (Photo: Cheng Ming)
Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China Chairman Lee Cheuk-yan and others were charged with “unauthorized assembly” for continuing to commemorate June 4 at the Victoria Park last year, and the case resumed on Friday (5). The court adjourned until April to hear the plea. The rest of the people, except Lai Chi-ying and Wu Chi-wai, remain in custody on bail and will be arraigned in June.
The Hong Kong police banned the annual June 4 candlelight vigil at Victoria Park last year on the grounds of Epidemic prevention, but the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China (HKASPD) and many Hong Kong people insisted on going to the park to commemorate June 4. The 24 people charged with “inciting others to take part in an unauthorized assembly” and “knowingly taking part in an unauthorized assembly” were Lee Cheuk-yan, vice-chairman Albert Ho and several members of the Standing Committee, as well as the founder of Next Media Group, Lai Chi-ying.
On Friday afternoon, Lee Cheuk-yan, Yeung Sum, Albert Ho, Leung Kwok-hung and Tsoi Yiu-cheong arrived at the West Kowloon Law Courts for the hearing, carrying slogans such as “Mourning for the 4 June incident” and “Protest against political suppression”, and chanting “No crime for the 4 June incident! They shouted slogans such as “June 4 not guilty”, “vindication of June 4” and “shame on political prosecution”. Lee Cheuk-yan reiterated the innocence of mourning for June 4 and the innocence of lighting candles: “People have the right and freedom to mourn for June 4”.
The case involved 24 defendants, 23 of whom were charged with “knowingly participating in an unauthorized assembly” and 13 with “inciting others to knowingly participate in an unlawful assembly. Lee Cheuk-yan was also charged with “holding an unauthorized assembly.
Five of the defendants in the case, including Cady Chu, Wong Chi Fung, Sham Ao Fai, Yuen Ka Wai and Leung Kai Ching, told the court through their lawyers that they intended to plead guilty to “knowingly participating in an unauthorized assembly. The five defendants who pleaded guilty will be postponed until April 30 to plead guilty and plead guilty. Judy Chu, Shum Aohui, Yuen Ka Wai and Leung Kai Ching did not respond to questions from reporters when they left the courtroom.
The remaining 19 defendants pleaded not guilty. The defense said that the legal and constitutional issues that will be raised by the defendants in this case are similar to those in the assembly case involving the “flowing rally” in Victoria Park on August 18 of the previous year, so they want to postpone the case and wait for the clarity of the previous case before pleading.
After hearing the arguments of both sides, Judge Kwok Kai-on granted the case a postponement until June 11. As the case was transferred from the Magistrate’s Court to the District Court, Judge Kwok Kai-on questioned at one point in the courtroom that the prosecution was wasting public money by referring the summons case to the District Court for trial.
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