Hong Kong protests: opposition politician arrested under colonial-era offence of sedition after Facebook post about police officer
- Arrest of Cheng Lai-king, chairwoman of Central and Western District Council, came after she forwarded post with details of officer
- The offence in question has been rarely used over the past half-century
An opposition politician was arrested under the colonial-era offence of sedition early on Thursday morning, over an online post which criticised a police officer who shot a journalist, and called for “an eye for an eye”.
The force was also investigating whether Cheng Lai-king, who chairs Central and Western District Council, breached a court injunction banning the doxxing of officers and their families. Meanwhile, Cheng’s party colleagues decried what they said was an act of revenge over her recent clashes with police, as well as a wider crackdown against the opposition.
Cheng was released from a police station on HK$10,000 bail on Thursday afternoon.
Superintendent Swalikh Mohammed, of the cybersecurity and technology crime bureau, confirmed that a woman in her 60s was arrested on suspicion of seditious acts, over an online post linked to doxxing of an officer and his family.
