Hong Kong democrat Howard Lam rebuts his kidnapping claim doubters

Democratic Party member also vows not to ‘actively engage in any political activities any more’

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Howard Lam showing a souvenir he claimed was meant for Liu Xia, wife of the late Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo. Photo: Felix Wong

Published: 6:33pm, 13 Aug 2017Updated: 2:50pm, 16 Aug 2017

The Hong Kong democrat who claimed mainland agents kidnapped and tortured him in the city rejected allegations that his story was a scripted charade, as he pledged to quit the local political arena for good.

The remarks by Howard Lam Tsz-kin came after pro-establishment legislators challenged the authenticity of his account made on Friday, which renewed fears the “one country, two systems” principle has been eroded.

Lam said he was abducted by mainland agents in Yau Ma Tei on Thursday, pushed into a van, taken to a building, and tortured with staples punched into his thighs. He said he woke up on a Sai Kung beach on Friday morning.

Hong Kong democracy activists continue campaign for Liu Xia’s release despite alleged kidnapping

But some questioned why Lam did not immediately report the case to police and even cleaned his clothes when he got home – a move described by founding Democratic Party chairman Martin Lee Chu-ming as “a bit silly” as doing so could have jeopardised evidence needed for an investigation.

“There was sand and mud [in the clothes] and they were stinky,” Lam said on Sunday during a Facebook Live session. “My wife asked me to soak the clothes ... and so I did. I didn’t think too much about it.”

Lam described his claims in further detail on Facebook Live on Sunday. Photo: Facebook

He added that his mother was horrified by the incident and did not want him to report the case to the police or make it public.

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