Pastor jailed for 1 year for ‘persistent’ attacks on Hong Kong judges in videos and confronting magistrate during trial
- Magistrate says pastor ‘seriously undermined the rule of law, damaged judicial officers’ credibility and trampled on the courts’ dignity’
- Pastor says he may have lost case on paper but in terms of defending justice, and in terms of safeguarding the rule of law, he was victorious
A pastor in Hong Kong has been jailed for a year for making “unfounded” allegations against the city’s judges and challenging a court officer overseeing a high-profile trial in breach of a colonial-era sedition law.
A magistrate, designated by the city’s leader to adjudicate national security proceedings, convicted Garry Pang Moon-yuen in West Kowloon Court of performing an act or acts with seditious intention over six YouTube videos containing sharp criticisms of the judiciary.
Chiu received three months in jail for the offence, but was released on HK$50,000 (US$6,000) bail pending an appeal.
Magistrate Andy Cheng Lim-chi, who was in charge of the pair’s trial, said the defendants had disregarded the solemnity of the court and interrupted proceedings with provocative statements.
“I do not believe their statements or words uttered had anything to do with ‘conscience’ or remedying the wrongs of judges,” Cheng said.
Pang also deserved a deterrent sentence for his “persistent” attacks on judges in his videos, the magistrate ruled, adding that he had “seriously undermined the rule of law, damaged judicial officers’ credibility and trampled on the courts’ dignity”.