Hong Kong protests: Jimmy Lai, four ex-lawmakers jailed over 2019 march from Victoria Park

Democratic Party founding chairman Martin Lee and four others given suspended sentences

Veteran democrat Albert Ho complains sentences are ‘unthinkably high’, arguing peaceful protests should be protected by law

Reading Time:5 minutes

Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai leaves Lai Chi Kok Reception Centre for an earlier court appearance. Photo: Winson Wong

Published: 4:32pm, 16 Apr 2021Updated: 9:36pm, 4 Jun 2021

Publishing tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying was jailed for 14 months on Friday in back-to-back sentencing for his role in two illegal protests during Hong Kong’s anti-government unrest in 2019, while four former opposition lawmakers who joined one or both demonstrations were also sent to prison.

Democratic Party founding chairman Martin Lee Chu-ming was given an 11-month suspended sentence for joining one of the protests, an unauthorised march on August 18, 2019, while veteran democrat and barrister Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee was also spared jail in a 12-month suspended sentence.

The jail sentences of eight to 18 months for five out of 10 opposition figures who appeared at West Kowloon Court marked the toughest punishments to date for Hong Kong’s most prominent pan-democratic politicians over the mass protests that rocked the city for a year.

Martin Lee heads to court on Friday. Photo: May Tse

“I am very shocked and disappointed with the approach adopted by the judge,” said former Democratic Party chairman Albert Ho Chun-yan, who received a one-year suspended sentence.

Ho complained that the sentences were “unthinkably high”, arguing that peaceful protests should be protected by law.

His party colleague Yeung Sum, who was given an eight-month suspended sentence, remained defiant, promising that protests “will go on” as a basic right.

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