Hong Kong man gets suspended jail sentence for inciting others to cast invalid votes in Legislative Council election
- Products manager Victor Chou, 57, used Facebook to call for protest against new electoral regime by casting blank ballots in December 19 poll
- Two-month jail sentence suspended for two years in light of Chou’s clear criminal record, remorse for offence
Victor Chou Wing-tat pleaded guilty before West Kowloon Court last month after he used Facebook to call for a protest against the new electoral regime by casting blank ballots in the December 19 poll.
Passing sentence at the same court on Wednesday, Magistrate Andy Cheng Lim-chi jailed the 57-year-old defendant for two months but suspended the term for two years in light of his clear criminal record and remorse for the offence.
Chou is the third person to be penalised for violating a law introduced last year that prohibits the act of inciting others to boycott an election. Two previous defendants have also earned suspended jail sentences.
Apart from the trio, head of Independent Commission Against Corruption Simon Peh Yun-lu said on Wednesday that officers had arrested seven others for calling on residents not to vote or to cast blank ballots in the same election. Another seven people, including some who had fled overseas, were placed in the wanted list.
“The work to extradite these wanted people will continue,” Peh said.
Section 27A of the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance took effect in May 2021 as part of a broader Beijing-led electoral overhaul aimed at ensuring only “patriots” held power in the city.