Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Joshua Wong granted bail as he appeals jailing over Occupy protests
Demosisto secretary general, along with the League of Social Democrats’ Raphael Wong, sentenced to prison for blocking clearance of Mong Kok occupation in 2014
Raphael Wong Ho-ming, jailed in the same case, was denied bail. But his appeal hearing was expedited to March 5 as requested by his counsel Martin Lee Chu-ming SC.
The Court of Appeal ruling came after a brief afternoon hearing before Chief Judge of the High Court Mr Justice Andrew Cheung Kui-nung and Court of Appeal vice-president Mr Justice Johnson Lam Man-hon.
Edward Leung admits assaulting policeman during Mong Kok riot
The judges released Joshua Wong after finding that one of his grounds of appeal against the sentence was arguable. They also considered his young age, length of sentence, likely hearing date, local ties, and the lack of a risk of absconding.
But they ruled against Raphael Wong, despite concluding he had no risk of fleeing from his relatively short sentence, as they saw that he had no arguable grounds to support his appeal against liability.
Speaking after his release, Joshua Wong thanked his lawyers and urged the appeal courts to lay down clear guidelines in sentencing young people involved in civil disobedience movements.
“I am the lucky one,” he said. “But I am not in a good mood at all because today, I arrived at the High Court with Raphael Wong, but I’m the only one who was granted bail.”
The two Wongs had applied for bail last Wednesday upon receiving their jail terms. But Mr Justice Andrew Chan Hing-wai of the Court of First Instance rejected that application at the time, saying he had no jurisdiction to release them, prompting the present application.