Hong Kong protests: two years’ jail for first person found guilty of doxxing police, families amid anti-government unrest
- District judge says the ‘deterrent sentence’ for Chan King-hei was needed given the seriousness of crime, noting the distress caused to innocent family members
- The 33-year-old was convicted last month of accessing the data of three public figures, 20 police officers and six of their family members
District Judge Frankie Yiu Fun-che on Tuesday said the case before him warranted a deterrent sentence as it involved a breach of trust and the sharing of the personal data of an inspector’s father at a time when police-community relations were already tense due to social events.
He added that doxxing could have a serious psychological impact on law enforcement officers and cause great distress for innocent family members, as seen in the father’s victim impact assessment, in which he complained of feeling helpless, fragile and anxious about his safety.
“Without question, the court must impose a deterrent sentence to prevent others from following suit,” the judge said.
It is saddening that doxxing acts often lead to cyberbullying or even criminal intimidation … which in turn causes continuous distress and serious psychological harm
The case was the first of its kind since the relevant offence was introduced following an amendment of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance in 2012.