Court sentences 7 politicians to imprisonment for Hong Kong protest

Beijing, Sep 1 (EFE).- A district court sentenced seven pro-democracy politicians in Hong Kong to at least 11 months in prison for taking part in an unauthorized demonstration in October 2019, the island’s state-owned media RTHK reported Wednesday.

Former heads of the League of Social Democrats, Raphael Wong and Avery Ng, will have to spend 14 and 12 months, respectively, while veteran politician Yeung Sum, 73, will be behind bars for 11 months, according to the order by Judge Amanda Woodcock.

Wong, Ng and Sum were sentenced on the charge of organizing the demonstration, while Albert Ho was sentenced for incitement, which has resulted in a 16-month sentence.

Figo Chan and Leung Kwok-hung, both former members of the League of Social Democrats, were sentenced to 16 months, while former legislator Cyd Ho was handed a 14-month jail term.

The judge underlined that although the city’s mini-constitution includes the rights of assembly and demonstration, they are not absolute and are subject to constitutional restrictions.

During the second half of 2019, Hong Kong witnessed numerous large scale anti-government demonstrations calling for better democratic mechanisms in the former British colony.

Since then, the government in Beijing has imposed two laws that, in the opinion of human rights groups, seek to dismantle civil society in Hong Kong and keep voices critical of the Chinese government away from executive positions. EFE

jt/sc