28-12-2023 (HONG KONG) Three young activists in Hong Kong have been sentenced to jail, with terms ranging up to six years, after admitting guilt in connection to a plot to plant bombs in court buildings and other public facilities in 2021. The convictions stem from their involvement in the aftermath of widespread pro-democracy protests in the city. The defendants, Ho Yu-wang, 20, Kwok Man-hei, 21, and Cheung Ho-yeung, 23, faced charges of “conspiracy to commit terrorism” under the controversial National Security Law.
The High Court Judge, Alex Lee, acknowledged the “hostile social atmosphere” during Hong Kong’s prolonged pro-democracy protests, recognizing its potential to influence individuals’ moral judgments and potentially lead those with previously good character to radicalism. The prosecution revealed that Kwok was associated with a pro-independence group called “Returning Valiant.”
The trio was accused of planning to create improvised explosive devices for placement in various public locations, including government offices, cross-harbour tunnels, police staff quarters, railways, and court buildings. The intended timeline for these actions was between April 1, 2021, and July 5, 2021. It’s crucial to note that the arrests occurred before any devices were manufactured or deployed.
Ho, believed to be the mastermind, and Cheung received six-year prison sentences, while Kwok was sentenced to 30 months. Ho admitted guilt to the terrorism charge, while Cheung and Kwok pleaded guilty to an alternative charge of conspiring to “cause explosions likely to endanger life or to cause serious injury to property.”
The sentencing took into account mitigating factors, such as Ho’s cooperation with the prosecution, leading to a four-year reduction in his sentence. In May, four others involved in the plans received sentences, with one individual jailed for five years and eight months for renting a flat for the scheme, and three others aged between 17 and 20 sent to training centres.
The imposition of the national security law by Beijing in 2020 grants authorities the power to penalize secession, subversion, terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces with potential life imprisonment. Foreign governments, including the United States, view the security law as a tool to suppress dissent, while Beijing asserts that it has restored stability to Hong Kong after the extensive protests in 2019. Since the law’s implementation, over 280 individuals, including opposition figures, activists, lawyers, and journalists, have been arrested.
