The former convenor of Student Activation, John Chung, who has announced the dissolution of the Hong Kong branch of Student Activation, has been detained since his second arrest by the National Security Branch of the police the day before yesterday, and was charged today (29th) with four counts of separatism, money laundering and conspiracy to publish seditious publications. Application for bail to be released from custody pending trial. The case was adjourned until January 7 next year for further police investigation.
The National Security Law is the second national security law to go into effect, and two other former Student Motivation members, He Xinuo and Chen Weixian, who were arrested on the same day on suspicion of separatist crimes, were released on bail yesterday without being charged. But the prosecution’s motion to postpone Chung’s hearing has indicated that three to four suspects are still under investigation and are believed to include Ho and Chen.
He went to the U.S. Consulate General in Hong Kong to seek asylum early in the morning on the 27th, and was arrested by National Security officers as he waited nearby for the consulate to open. In court this morning, the prosecution said the 19-year-old defendant is suspected of organizing, planning or participating with others in the splitting of Hong Kong from China between July and the 27th of this month, in violation of Hong Kong’s National Security Law.
The prosecution also alleges that the defendant handled the proceeds of two separate indictable crimes totaling nearly $700,000 from 2018 to the end of July this year, allegedly committing money laundering. The police will need to examine the defendant’s phone and computer, obtain the defendant’s monthly statements from the bank, and examine the content of online platforms involving the defendant, the prosecution asked for an adjournment of the case.
The Student Activist Movement, which announced its dissolution on the day the National Security Law was implemented, was founded in 2016 by John Chung and others who met during the Woods and Earth campaign. After Student Activism disbanded, he and three other former members were arrested by National Security Division (NSD) officers on July 29 for allegedly inciting others to secede from the country and violating the National Security Law. The four were released on bail pending investigation, and on September 4, Zhong stated on his webpage that he had resigned as administrator of all Student Activation Facebook pages, and that other Student Activation related accounts had also had their passwords changed by unknown people, so he had nothing to do with Student Activation’s movements.
In considering the adjournment of the case, Chief Magistrate So said that considering the provisions of the National Security Law of Hong Kong, as well as the fact that the scabbard did not return on time and the case was committed while on bail, the defense bail application was denied and the scabbard had to be returned until January 7, 2012.
This is the second National Security case, and the first is the case of 23-year-old Roger Tong, who was charged with “inciting secession” and “terrorism” after he allegedly collided with a police officer driving a motorcycle with a “Restoration of the Hong Kong Era Revolution” banner in Wanchai on July 1.
In addition, last night, two people went to the Central Police Station where John Chung was detained to show support, among them, the “second generation of Captain America” known as Mr. Ma repeatedly displayed the “national self-improvement and independence of Hong Kong” slogan, chanting slogans, about half an hour later, was arrested by police officers, accused of acts with the intent to incite, allegedly in violation of section 9 of the Crimes Ordinance.
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