University of Hong Kong student bailed on terrorism charge relating to controversial stabbing motion is at low risk of reoffending or absconding, judge rules

Anthony Yung is one of four HKU student leaders accused of advocating terrorism under national security law by passing a motion mourning a man who stabbed a police officer before killing himself

High Court judge outlines her reasoning for releasing Yung on bail, finding his risk of absconding, reoffending is ‘not high’ and noting his academic background

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Arts student Anthony Yung has been given bail in a criminal case concerning an HKU student motion on the stabbing of a police officer. Photo: Dickson Lee

Published: 5:35pm, 20 Sep 2021Updated: 10:56pm, 20 Sep 2021

A judge granted bail to a University of Hong Kong student leader, accused of promoting terrorism by passing a motion mourning a man who stabbed a police officer before killing himself, after finding his risk of absconding or reoffending was “not high”.

Madam Justice Esther Toh Lye-ping, of the High Court, on Monday explained why she had upheld a magistrate’s decision to release arts student Anthony Yung Chung-hei on bail, citing in her judgment his record as an outstanding pupil who would be welcomed back to the university.

The 19-year-old was among four university student union council members charged with advocating terrorism and an alternative count of incitement to wound with intent, for passing a July 7 motion in praise of Leung Kin-fai, who killed himself after stabbing a police officer. The judge described the knifing on July 1 as “a serious and shocking attack”.

Yung was granted bail by Principal Magistrate Peter Law Tak-chuen on August 19, but remanded in custody following objections from the prosecution, until Toh reviewed the case and released him on August 27.

His co-defendants are: student union president Charles Kwok Wing-ho, 20; student union council chairman Kinson Cheung King-sang, 19; and residential hall representative Chris Todorovski Shing-hang, 18. All three have been denied bail.

The four were the first to be charged with advocating terrorism since the Beijing-imposed national security law, which also bans acts of subversion, secession and collusion with foreign forces, took effect on June 30 last year.

At the review hearing last month, acting deputy director of public prosecutions Anthony Chau Tin-hang submitted that Yung did not just attend the meeting and vote for the motion, but had stressed that Leung and those identified as terrorists by the Communist Party were heroes.