Hong Kong man Chu Kai-pong has been sentenced to 14 months in jail under Article 23, the city’s tough new national security law, for wearing a T-shirt and mask with protest slogans deemed “seditious”. Chu, 27, pleaded guilty to the offence of “doing acts with seditious intention”, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail. He was arrested on June 12, the anniversary of the 2019 pro-democracy protests, for wearing a T-shirt that read “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times” and a mask with pro-democracy slogans.
Chief Magistrate Victor So, who presided over the case, stated that Chu had intended to reignite the ideas behind the unrest of 2019. This sentencing comes as part of a broader crackdown on dissent in Hong Kong, with the national security law being used to target individuals seen as challenging Chinese rule. The law was imposed by China in 2020 to quash further dissent following the 2019 protests.
Critics, including Western nations, have raised concerns about the law eroding freedoms and stifling dissent in Hong Kong, once known for its autonomy and freedoms. Since the introduction of the security laws, 303 people have been arrested, with 176 prosecuted and 160 convicted. The revised law under Article 23 expands the offence of sedition to include inciting hatred against China’s communist leadership, with a maximum penalty of 10 years in jail if conducted in collusion with an external force. This case highlights the continued suppression of dissent in Hong Kong under the national security law.
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