Hong Kong protests: activist Figo Chan, already jailed over role in 3 unauthorised assemblies, will plead guilty to a fourth

Chan, former convenor of the Civil Human Rights Front, took part in unauthorised September 2019 rally as an act of civil disobedience, lawyer says

The 25-year-old is serving 18 months over other protests that year, with a fifth scheduled to go before the court next month

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Figo Chan, former leader of the Civil Human Rights Front, will plead guilty to his role in a September 2019 protest. Photo: Felix Wong

Published: 3:46pm, 17 Sep 2021Updated: 11:17pm, 17 Sep 2021

The former leader of an umbrella group behind many of Hong Kong’s biggest protests of 2019, already serving jail time for his role in three unauthorised assemblies, will plead guilty to charges related to a fourth, his lawyer has said.

Figo Chan Ho-wun, former convenor of the Civil Human Rights Front, was charged in Eastern Court on Friday with one count of knowingly taking part in an unauthorised assembly on September 15, 2019.

The 25-year-old’s appearance in the dock came just two days after he was sentenced to 10 months’ jail for inciting others to take part, and knowingly participating himself, in last year’s banned June 4 candlelight vigil commemorating the Tiananmen Square crackdown.

A September 2019 march from Causeway Bay to Chater Garden in Central that Figo Chan took part in was unauthorised by police. Photo: Felix Wong

The activist’s overall jail sentence currently stands at 18 months, having previously been imprisoned over his roles in two 2019 anti-government rallies that took place without police approval.

On Friday, Chan’s counsel, Anson Wong Yu-yat, said the activist had taken part in the September 15 demonstration as an act of civil disobedience and was prepared to admit criminal liability.

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