Hong Kong High Court rules out bail for former leader of Tiananmen Square vigil facing subversion charges
- Judge rules that Lee Cheuk-yan is a high risk for absconding and orders he should stay on remand until trial
- Counsel for Lee’s offer of a HK$900,000 guarantee of compliance with bail conditions rejected by court
The High Court has denied bail to a former leader of the group behind Hong Kong’s annual June 4 Tiananmen Square vigil on the grounds of “strong” and “undisputed” evidence of an alleged breach of the national security law.
Lee Cheuk-yan on Tuesday applied for temporary release for the first time since he was charged last year with inciting subversion through his role in the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China.
Mr Justice Andrew Chan Hing-wai, one of the few judges approved by the city’s leader to sit in national security cases, dismissed Lee’s application on the grounds the 65-year-old former opposition lawmaker would threaten the country’s safety if released on bail.
“This is a very serious offence. The evidence against the defendant is not disputed … and it appears to be strong,” Chan said.
The judge also highlighted Lee’s insistence on his political views and the “real risk” of him absconding, evidenced by the sale of his property and his wife’s departure for Britain last year.
Bail hearings are usually held under reporting restrictions, but Chan lifted the statutory rules on Tuesday at the request of the press.