Another Hong Kong citizen charged under Hong Kong’s version of the National Security Act was denied bail. Ma Jun-man, also known as captain America Ii, was denied bail by a Hong Kong High Court judge on Tuesday.
Ma Junwen, 30, is charged with inciting others to split the country in violation of the Hong Kong version of the national Security law. Ma is accused of “inciting others to split the country” under Hong Kong’s version of the National Security Law, after allegedly chanting “Restore Hong Kong’s revolution” and other pro-independence slogans outside shopping malls and police stations from August 15 to November 22. Mr Ma is the first person in Hong Kong to be charged with violating the territory’s version of the national Security law purely for Shouting or displaying slogans.
Hong Kong High Court Judge Yunteng Li said written reasons for rejecting Mr Ma’s bail would be issued at a later date. However, the judge also noted that Mr Ma could review his bail application if no trial date had been set by around April next year.
Ma appeared in West Kowloon Magistracy on Nov 24 and was remanded immediately without bail by security Law-appointed judge So Wai-tak. Su is one of six magistrates appointed to handle national security cases.
Observers have noted that four Hong Kong citizens have been charged with crimes under the law since it came into effect on June 30, and that all four have been denied bail. They are, in that order, Henry Tang, 23, Chung Han-lin, former convener of student Mobility, the Hong Kong student organisation, John Ma, and Hong Kong media tycoon Lai Chi-ying.
Mr Tang was charged with “inciting others to split the country” and “terrorism”. Mr. Zhong was charged with “suspicion of incitement to secession”; Lai Chi-ying was charged on December 11 with “conspiring with foreign countries or forces outside Hong Kong to endanger national security” under the Hong Kong National Security Law, becoming the first person to be charged under the law since it took effect. Mr Lai had previously been charged with fraud.
China’s national security law in Hong Kong has four charges: secession, subversion, terrorism and collusion with outside forces. The four charges are against Hong Kong people exercising their individual rights under the Basic Law, such as freedom of speech, association and assembly. The offence under the Hong Kong version of the National Security Act carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
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