Protesters have to be more ‘organised and disciplined’ to avoid jail, Hong Kong pro-democracy activist Raphael Wong says
League of Social Democrats vice-chairman says with courts more willing to hand down tougher penalties, campaigners are forced to rethink ‘costs’
Protesters will need to be more “organised and disciplined” to avoid going to jail for campaigns against social injustices in Hong Kong, a pro-democracy activist said on Monday, after the city’s top court gave him and 12 others their freedom last week.
But the Court of Final Appeal on Friday overturned a lower appellate court’s decision last August to replace the group’s original community service orders with jail terms, even as it endorsed its new sentencing guidelines calling for stiffer punishments for violent unlawful assemblies.
The five appeal judges noted the June 13, 2014 Legco protest by the group of 13 did exhibit violence but questioned why the lower court, in applying the guidelines, used a 15-month jail term as their starting point for sentencing.
They said they would reveal full details of their ruling at a later date.
Let’s not forget I actually served 120 hours of community service, before being sent to jail. Was that not enough?