7 Former Hong Kong Opposition Figures Sentenced to Prison for 'Security Law Opposition Protest'

Hong Kong Police Detain Hong Kong University Student Union Executive

(Hong Kong AP=Yonhap News) On the 18th, an executive (center) of the Hong Kong University Student Union was forcibly detained after a police search of their residence. Hong Kong police arrested four Student Union executives that day. The Hong Kong University Student Union had adopted a resolution on the 7th to commemorate a man who attacked a police officer with a weapon in Causeway Bay and subsequently took his own life, but later invalidated the resolution and issued an apology. The Hong Kong government viewed the act of commemorating the deceased man as an act of endorsing terrorism and arrested them on charges of violating the National Security Law.
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[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Junhyung] The South China Morning Post (SCMP) in Hong Kong reported on the 16th (local time) that seven Hong Kong opposition figures involved in last year's protests against the Hong Kong National Security Law were sentenced to prison terms ranging from six months to one year.

The Hong Kong Special Administrative Region Court sentenced defendant Chan Ho-huan (24, currently serving time for another case), former convener of the Civil Human Rights Front, to one year in prison; Wu Chi-wai (58), former chairman of the Democratic Party, and former district councilor Cheung Kin-sing (65) to ten months in prison. Additionally, Leung Kwok-hung (64), former chairman of the League of Social Democrats, was sentenced to eight months, and three others including former Legislative Council member Eddie Chu (43, currently serving time) were sentenced to six months in prison.

They were charged with organizing or participating in unauthorized assemblies opposing the Hong Kong National Security Law on July 1 last year, or encouraging others to participate. The Hong Kong National Security Law stipulates that acts aimed at subverting state power by illegal means that seriously interfere with, obstruct, or destroy the lawful performance of duties by the central government of China or the Hong Kong government may be punished with imprisonment of ten years or more.