“As the 32nd anniversary of the June 4 Incident approaches, 24 pan-democrats have been charged with “unlawful assembly” for the June 4 rally last year. Among them, Wong Chi-fung, Shum Ao-fai, Yuen Ka-wai and Leung Kai-ching pleaded guilty earlier to “knowingly participating in an unauthorized assembly”, Judge Chan Kwong-chi sentenced Wong Chi-fung to 10 months in prison, Shum Ao-fai to 6 months, Yuen Ka-wai and Leung Kai-ching to 4 months in prison on Thursday morning (6), becoming the first time since 1989 that someone was convicted of participating in the June 4 rally. The court sent the wrong message, scaring the public of political expression,” said Zou Xingtong, vice president of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China. “Zhang Xianling, a member of the Tiananmen Mothers, told the station that she was grateful to the people of Hong Kong for their insistence on commemorating the June 4 Incident, but she did not expect anyone to be convicted for it and thought the verdict was unreasonable.
The former secretary-general of Hong Kong House of Representatives, Mr. Wong Chi-fung, Tsuen Wan District Councilor Mr. Sham Ao-fai, Southern District Councilor Mr. Yuen Ka-wai, and Kwun Tong District Councilor Mr. Leung Kai-ching were escorted to the District Court by a prison van. Due to the large number of spectators, the court opened an additional extended court session to provide live video coverage.
The other three are also in good spirits, nodding to their friends and relatives from time to time.
The company’s main business is to promote the development of the company’s products and services. The four people were aware that the rally was unauthorized and still wore specially designed black clothes.
Chen pointed out that the defense lawyers missed a key point, from the beginning to the end of the rally was not approved, that the defense said the four people had to wear masks and keep social distance, not a defense, nor does it mean that this can be used to “have more freedom than others”. The evidence clearly proves that they used social media to publicize the rally, “deliberately and premeditatedly” and openly broke the law, “taking advantage of the large number of people to achieve a common purpose. The evidence clearly proves that they used social media to publicize the rally, “intentionally and premeditatedly” and openly broke the law, and “used the crowd to achieve a common purpose.
National Security Law Designated Judge Chen Guangchi: Must impose deterrent penalties
Chen cited Huang Zhifeng in 2014 was charged with “unlawful assembly” appeal case and a number of cases, the court on the social unrest, considering public safety and the risk of disrupting social peace, the need to impose a deterrent sentence on the charge, noting that “in special days, the crime is more serious “.
Chen officials believe that the four people do not have sincere remorse, refused to consider the sentence of community service orders, must be sentenced to imprisonment for 15 months as the starting point for sentencing, but considering the former public office, deducted one-third of the sentence.
Huang Zhifeng (24 years old) was sentenced to 10 months in prison for six criminal convictions, three of which were related to unlawful assembly, and at the time of the incident was in another “unlawful assembly” guarantee period. The sentence was to be served in installments with the other cases.
Aohui Shum, Yuen Ka Wai and Leung Kai Ching are expected to lose their seats in the District Council.
Aohui Sham, who has a criminal record, was sentenced to six months in prison. Yuen Ka Wai and Leung Kai Ching, who have no criminal record, were sentenced to four months in jail. According to the current District Council Ordinance, if a DC member is sentenced to imprisonment for more than three months without the option of a fine in lieu, he or she will be disqualified from being a DC member, meaning that the three people concerned will lose their status as DC members.
During the reading of the sentence by Mr. Chan, a spectator stood up and shouted “objection”. Chen warned that if the person continues to make noise, will ask the court security to copy down personal data, there is a chance to be charged with “contempt of court”, and that “understand that people have emotions, the expression of emotions to be outside the court, otherwise it will undermine the rule of law system”.
Zou Xingtong: the verdict to deter people from political expression
After the Vice Chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China (HKASPDMC), Mr. Zou Xingtong was informed of the results, and outside the court with many people holding banners in protest, shouting “shame on the political prosecution”, “mourning for the 4 June incident is not guilty”.
In response to a question from the station, Zou said he criticized the court for sending the wrong message to the public, “so that the public does not dare to participate in political activities”.
The court is obliterating the line between peaceful assembly and violent assembly, and the court has sent a wrong message that these are things that are nipped in the bud, which is wrong and not only does not comply with international human rights regulations, but also violates the freedom of speech and the right to expression protected by the Basic Law and the Constitution.
The police have not yet replied to the application for the June 4 rally this year, but stressed that even if the application is rejected, they still hope that the people of Hong Kong will insist on using various ways to mourn the “June 4”.
Zhang Xianling: the sentence is very unreasonable
“Tiananmen Mothers” member Zhang Xianling said to this station, once again thanked Hong Kong people in the past insisted on mourning the victims of June 4, think this sentence is unreasonable. She also expected that this year’s rally application will not be approved, but that Hong Kong people “heart candle light is not extinguished”.
Zhang Xianling said: as I am the Tiananmen Mothers group, I am always grateful for the candlelight vigil in Victoria Park, Hong Kong.
I feel that the people of Hong Kong for the victims, for those patriotic young people killed, a kind of nostalgia, and a kind of condemnation of this crime of killing. I think the sentencing of these people because of this, I think it will only cause more indignation, as I personally, I also oppose the sentencing on this pretext, this is very unreasonable.
The judge approved the postponement of the trial to June 11, along with the 19 defendants, including the chairman of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China (HKASPDMC), Mr. Lee Cheuk-yan, the vice chairman of the HKASPDMC, Mr. Ho Chun-yan and the founder of Next Media Group, Mr. Lai Chi-ying.
The Xinhua News Agency on Tuesday reported the sentencing of Wong Chi-fung and others in a press release that only referred to the incident as “an illegal assembly case in Victoria Park in Causeway Bay in 2020,” without mentioning the date and cause of the case.
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