Forty-seven Hong Kong democrats were charged by police with conspiracy to subvert state power because of the primary election, including Tai Yiu-ting, Au Nok-hin, Chiu Ka-yin and others.
The 47 accused Hong Kong democrats were brought to court on Monday (March 1), and some of the defendants complained that they had not seen their lawyers. The prosecution asked for an adjournment until May 31, opposing the bail applications of 47 people. The defense barrister Leung Ka-kit criticized the prosecution for using the “court verdict” as a tool to detain the 47 people.
The 47 people involved in the democratic primary election were charged by the police with “conspiracy to subvert state power” and the case was arraigned at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Court at 11am on Monday.
He Guilan shouted: I want to see a lawyer
Due to the large number of people arrested, the case was delayed until about 12:45 p.m. before the formal hearing. The case was delayed until 12:45 p.m. when it was formally opened. 47 people were escorted to the court one after another, including Dai Yaoting and Zhao Jiaxian, who, together with lawyers and police officers, “forced to explode” the entire court. Zou Jiacheng, Abu Tai boss Lin Jingnan and many other defendants due to the lack of seats, to enter the prisoner bar.
Before the trial, one of the defendants, Ho Kwai Lan, shouted: “I have not seen a lawyer before the trial”, “I demand to see a lawyer”; a male voice also said excitedly: “I have not seen a lawyer, I want to give instruction (instruction) to the lawyer. I want to give instructions to my lawyer. The court police asked them to calm down. However, because reporters were only in the audience room to listen to the trial via live streaming, they were unable to identify the male voices. Some of the Family members could not even see the defendant’s face.
The defendant showed relaxed singing Lam Cheuk Ting court show of love
When the trial began, Judge So Wai Tak spent three minutes reading the names of the defendants one by one, and the defendants raised their hands to report. But Xu Zimian was not able to come to court because he was hospitalized. Afterwards, Judge So requested that all legal representatives be given sufficient Time to obtain instructions from the defendant, and the hearing was adjourned until approximately 3:30 p.m. next afternoon.
At 4:00 p.m., the case was continued. Before the trial, the scene received a dialogue between the defendant Shen Aohui and He Guilan, who suddenly sang the male star Jiang Tao’s “Say I love you with my mouth shut”, and later a staff member said: “You received the sound.” He Guilan said, “What, I don’t know Tim.” The defendant Lin Zhuo Ting that shouted “wife I love you! To tell all the love in your heart.”
The defendants are represented by many lawyers, “all the stars”
The case was handled by the judge appointed by the National Security Law, President Judge So Wai Tak, the defendant’s lawyers “all the stars”, including senior barristers Xia Boyi, Xu Shaodin, Pan Xi and Liang Jiajie; barristers David Ma, Huang Yu Yi, Tan Junjie, Zhang Yaoliang and Huang Ruihong, etc.. Among them is Xu Shaoding, a former deputy criminal prosecutor who resigned at the end of 2018 and then went into private practice.
The prosecution said the police had 400 digital forensics, money flow and forensic procedures to deal with and investigate, and requested that the case be adjourned until May 31, during which it opposed the bail applications of 47 people.
Defense’s Alan Leung: Hong Kong 2.28 will be written into history
But most of the defense lawyers on behalf of the three months too long, and some of the defendants are not young, another number of people have public office in the body, and are not allowed to bail, that the request for postponement is not reasonable, unfair to the defendants, reiterated that the parties can reply on the same day, so opposed to the prosecution’s request. Among them, Liang Guoxiong on behalf of the lawyer said, earlier on another case in February 10, the police did not mention the national security charges, suddenly notified of the prosecution, and not allowed to bail, that the police abuse of process.
Senior barrister Leung Ka-kit, representing Tam Man-ho, Kwok Ka-ki, Yeung Ngok-kiu and Lee Yu-sun, criticized the prosecution for using the “court verdict” as a tool to detain 47 people, saying that in existing criminal cases in Hong Kong, the police must have collected enough evidence before prosecution, “if the prosecution has not finished the investigation, there is no sufficient evidence, then what to sue? You can’t have a cake and eat it. You can’t justify yourself, you can’t charge them up for 90 days. Catch the two meetings?” The government’s response to the issue was to make it clear that the government was not going to be able to do so.
He also said: “Hong Kong 2.28 will be written into history, not because of the large number of defendants, but Hong Kong’s fair elections and the legal system has been impacted, the victims are not only 47 people, but the entire spirit of justice and the rule of law in Hong Kong.”
The charge alleges that the 47 people aimed to subvert state power
The charge alleges that the 47 people committed the crime of subversion of state power under Article 22(3) of the Hong Kong version of the National Security Law by organizing, planning, committing or participating in the commission of the crime by threatening to use force or other unlawful means with the aim of abusing the powers entrusted to them under the Basic Law after their election to the Legislative Council.
In addition, Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office Director Xia Baolong’s full speech at a seminar of the Hong Kong and Macau Research Association last week was published in the March issue of Bauhinia magazine, which mentioned the implementation of patriots ruling Hong Kong and improving the election system. “He also said that “only patriots can work for the well-being of Hong Kong people”.
The list of 47 people.
The 47 people include 39 men and 8 women, the defendants in order are Tai Yiu-ting (56, retired), Au Nok-hin (33, guest lecturer at the university), Chiu Ka-yin (35, Eastern District Councilor), Chung Kam-lun (32, Sai Kung District Councilor), Ng Ching-hang (42, unemployed), Yuen Ka-wai (27, Southern District Councilor), Leung Fong-wai (23, Central and Western District Councilor), Cheng Hung-tat (32, Eastern District unemployed), Lau Chak-fung (24, assistant to councillor), Wong Chi-fung (24, unemployed, serving sentence in Stanley Prison), Tam Man-ho (45, businessman), Lee Ka-tat (29, Kwun Tong District Councillor), Tam Tak-chi (49, now in scabbard for other cases), Wu Chi-wai (58, unemployed, now in scabbard for other cases), Sze Tak-lai (38, unemployed), Chu Kai-dee (43, Wong Tai Sin District Yang Yueqiao (39, barrister), Chen Zhiquan (48, unemployed), Zou Jiacheng (24, student), Lam Cheuk Ting (43, North District Councilor), Fan Kwok Wai (54, Sai Kung District Councilor), Lui Chi Hang (38, social worker), Leung Kwok Hung (64, unemployed), Lam King Nam (32, businessman), Ko Yiu Lam (49, Sai Kung District Councilor), Sham Ao Hui (27, Tsuen Wan District (27, Tsuen Wan District Council member), Wong Pak Yu (30, Yuen Long District Council member), Lee Yu Shun (27, Eastern District Council member), and Yu Wai Ming (33, HA clerical staff).
The other eight people arrested earlier in the case, including Lau Kai-man, Yuen Wai-kit, Lee Kwok-lun, To Chun-sun, Kwong Chun-yu, Andrie, Lee Chi-yung and Kwan Sheung-yee, have not been charged yet.
Hundreds of people showed solidarity with a group of defendants outside the venue.
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