Four Hong Kong pan-democrats, Lee Cheuk-yan, Albert Ho, Leung Kwok Hung and Chan Ho Wan, have taken up the pro-democracy march on October 1, 2019 in their personal capacity.
On April 7, the case against the founder of Hong Kong Next Media Group, Lai Chi-ying, the vice chairman of the Labor Party, Lee Cheuk-yan, and the former chairman of the Democratic Party, Yeung Sum, went to trial. The trial was originally expected to take seven days, but the three people unexpectedly pleaded guilty before the trial began. However, Lee Cheuk-yan stressed that “history will judge us not guilty”!
The case of Lai Chi-ying, Lee Cheuk-yan, and Yeung Sum, who were charged with “knowingly participating in an unauthorized assembly” for their participation in the “anti-China” demonstration on August 31, 2019, was heard at the Wanchai District Court on the morning of April 7.
Lee Cheuk-yan and Yeung Sum appeared in court early in the morning on their own. But Lai Chi-ying, who was charged with eight counts by the police, was not granted bail and was escorted to the court by a prison van. As he walked out of the prisoner’s pen, spectators waved their greetings to him.
The three were charged with “participating in an unauthorized assembly,” in addition to the August 31, 2019 march from Wanchai to Central, which also involved the Civil Human Rights Front’s original application to hold a “NPC 8.31 march on the fifth anniversary of the fall of the gates” on that day, and the netizens’ subsequent launch of the The “100,000 Christians Praying for Hong Kong Sinners March”, which started at the Southorn Stadium in Wanchai, also involved the original application of the Civil Human Rights Front to organize the “NPC 8.31 Fifth Anniversary March”, and the “100,000 Christians Praying for Hong Kong Sinners March” initiated by netizens.
After a rally at Chater Road in Central, the procession went to the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in Western District to demand that the NPC withdraw its decision on 8.31.2014, which allegedly restricted Hong Kong people’s freedom to vote, but was opposed by the police. The protest was opposed by the police and cancelled after the appeal failed.
Later, netizens launched a “100,000 Christians Pray for Hong Kong Sinners March” from the Southorn Stadium in Wanchai, saying that religious activities do not require police approval. The event was held as scheduled, and turned into a circular march from Sheung Wan MTR station to Tin Hau station in the north of Hong Kong Island.
But the police later claimed that religious gatherings can be held without permission, but processions of more than 30 people are not illegal until a “notice of no objection” is issued. The police arrested Lai Chi-ying, Lee Cheuk-yan and Yeung Sum on February 28, 2020.
During the trial of the trio at the District Court on the morning of April 7, the police played a number of clips in court to prove that Lai Chi-ying, Lee Cheuk-yan and Yeung Sum had knowingly participated in an unauthorized public procession on August 31, 2019, when they gathered with a large number of marchers at the Southorn Stadium, and then committed the crime of “knowingly participating in an unauthorized assembly. “The video clip shows Lee Cheuk-yan holding a placard.
In the video clip, Lee Cheuk-yan said in an interview with the media, holding a banner, that people have the right to express themselves in a march; Yeung Sum led the crowd in chanting “Hong Kong people cheer” and other slogans against sending China. During this time, the police repeatedly raised flags to warn that the march was illegal, but the three men and the marching group ignored them and continued to march along the line of traffic, chanting slogans and singing religious songs.
The case began early on April 7, and the trial was originally expected to last about seven days, but the three men pleaded guilty in a surprise move before the trial began, with Lee Cheuk-yan pleading guilty in the prisoner’s box, saying “I plead guilty, but I did nothing wrong, and history will find us not guilty.
The judge, Mr. Wu Ya Wen, heard the pleas of the three men after they pleaded guilty, and indicated that the sentencing was postponed. The defense applied for the defendants to be released on bail pending trial, which was opposed by the prosecution. In addition to this case, Lai Chi-ying, 73, is also charged with two other unlawful assembly cases pending trial, including participating in an unauthorized assembly on Oct. 1 of the previous year and the June 4 candlelight rally on June 4 of last year.
In addition, Lai Chi-ying is also accused of colluding with foreign or overseas forces, endangering national security and incitement, which the police claim is still under investigation by the National Security Division. However, it is widely believed that this is a political crackdown on democrats by the Hong Kong government.
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