Hong Kong opposition activist Joshua Wong among group facing five years in jail over banned June 4 vigil after guilty pleas
- Former lawmaker Eddie Chu and three district councillors also plead guilty
- Media mogul Jimmy Lai among 24 who have cases transferred to District Court
The 24 defendants appeared at West Kowloon Court for a mention hearing over the unauthorised assembly in Victoria Park last summer.
The court previously ordered the arrests of two co-defendants, Nathan Law Kwun-chung and Sunny Cheung Kwan-yang, who had absconded.
Those who will plead guilty include Wong, former lawmaker Eddie Chu Hoi-dick, and three district councillors: Lester Shum, Tiffany Yuen Ka-wai and Janelle Leung Hoi-ching. They each face a count of knowingly taking part in an unauthorised assembly, punishable by five years in prison.
The remaining 19 face a total of 32 charges, including organising or taking part in an unauthorised assembly, as well as a related incitement offence. The charges share the same maximum jail sentence under public order legislation.
Prosecutor Edward Lau Wan-cheung said the justice department had decided to move the cases of the 24 to the higher District Court, which can pass a maximum jail sentence of seven years, after considering “a basket of factors”, including the involvement of constitutional questions similar to an upcoming trial.
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That trial centred on a protest in Causeway Bay on August 18, 2019, where protesters have been accused of turning an approved assembly inside Victoria Park into an illegal procession to Central.
Lai and seven other opposition activists are set to stand trial on February 16, while a ninth defendant, former lawmaker Au Nok-hin, is expected to enter a guilty plea that day.
But Lau acknowledged that the sentences of the five wishing to plead guilty could be dealt with by a magistrate, who can only sentence a defendant to up to two years behind bars.
District Judge Anthony Kwok Kai-on expressed concern over the decision to transfer the cases to the higher court altogether, saying the move incurred extra government expenses and legal costs by the defendants.
“You need to understand that the District Court is not without anything to do,” Kwok told Lau.
Kwok stopped short of blaming the prosecution after parties agreed the cases could continue at the higher court to enable the speedy resolution of the proceedings.
The judge adjourned the cases of the five to April 30 when they are expected to enter a formal plea and submit mitigation. The remaining defendants will return to court on June 11 pending the verdict of the February 16 trial.
