Hongkonger remanded in custody under Article 23 law over seditious clothing worn in public
- Prosecution believed to be first under domestic national security law, with man accused of wearing items calling for city’s ‘liberation’
The unemployed Sha Tin resident allegedly wore the items two days earlier near Shek Mun MTR station. Police arrested him later that day.
Prosecutors argued the statements, including “Liberate Hong Kong; revolution of our times”, were intentionally displayed to “bring a Chinese citizen, Hong Kong permanent resident or a person in the [Hong Kong Special Administrative Region] into hatred, contempt or disaffection” against the country’s “fundamental system”, constitutional order and the authority of the city government, legislature and judiciary.
Chu was charged with “doing with a seditious intention an act or acts that had a seditious intention” under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, which was enacted earlier this year in accordance with Article 23 of the Basic Law, the city’s mini-constitution.
He is also accused of loitering with intent to commit an arrestable offence and failing to produce proof of identity upon a police officer’s demand on Wednesday, the fifth anniversary of serious clashes between protesters and police that took place on June 12, 2019.
Chief Magistrate Victor So Wai-tak, one of the few judges approved by the chief executive to hear national security proceedings, granted an adjournment of almost eight weeks for police to conduct further inquiries.