National security law: hospital worker secures bail on fourth attempt in subversion case over unofficial primary election

Winnie Yu, founder of Hospital Authority Employees Alliance, was granted bail of HK$100,000 plus HK$50,000 surety to be paid by her husband

Release comes with stringent conditions including travel ban and daily curfew between midnight and 6am

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Winnie Yu spent five months behind bars. Photo: Edmond So

Published: 5:48pm, 28 Jul 2021Updated: 2:06pm, 8 Sep 2021

An activist hospital worker accused of breaching Hong Kong’s national security law by running in an unofficial primary election last summer has been released on bail after almost five months in custody.

Winnie Yu Wai-ming, founder and former chairwoman of the Hospital Authority Employees Alliance, was granted bail on her fourth attempt on Wednesday. Bail was set at HK$100,000 (US$12,820) plus a HK$50,000 surety to be paid by her husband.

Yu’s release came with stringent conditions as Madam Justice Esther Toh Lye-ping of the High Court imposed a travel ban and daily curfew between midnight and 6am, as well as ordering her to surrender all travel documents and report to police four times a week.

The 34-year-old hospital clerk was also told to refrain from all acts and speeches that could endanger national security, including taking media interviews, as well as running, organising and coordinating any elections.

Yu, a candidate in the primary, became the 13th defendant to win bail in a case in which 47 opposition politicians and activists were charged with conspiracy to subvert state power.