A 27-year-old man in Hong Kong pleaded guilty to sedition for wearing a T-shirt with a protest slogan, marking the first conviction under the territory’s new national security legislation. The T-shirt bore the phrase “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times,” which was associated with the 2019 pro-democracy protests. He was also wearing a yellow mask with the slogan “FDNOL.” The man, Chu Kai-pong, was arrested on the anniversary of a clash between protesters and police in 2019. He told police that he wore the T-shirt to remind people of the protests.
Chu had previously been jailed for three months for wearing a T-shirt with the same slogan. The Hong Kong government has prosecuted several sedition cases in recent years, using a colonial-era law that carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison. In March, a new national security law was approved, raising the maximum penalty to seven years, and up to 10 years for offenses involving collusion with foreign forces. Officials say the laws were necessary to restore stability after the protests, but critics argue they have led to a harsh crackdown on dissent.
Chu is set to be sentenced on Thursday. The national security laws aim to address “loopholes” in Beijing-imposed legislation from 2020, which did not cover sedition. Critics, including the United States, have criticized the laws for being vaguely worded. The legislation was required under Hong Kong’s mini-constitution, but faced public resistance in the past. The laws have raised concerns about the preservation of civil liberties in the former British colony.
Photo credit
www.nbcnews.com
