Hong Kong protests: heavy jail sentences for rioting will not solve city’s political crisis, former Civil Human Rights Front convenor says
- Johnson Yeung among 49 people arrested on Sunday night and held for 48 hours at Kwai Chung Police Station
- He describes scenes of distress in jail as first detainee revealed rioting charge and accuses police of abusing their power
Throwing young protesters behind bars on rioting charges will not solve Hong Kong’s political crisis, a former convenor of the city’s annual pro-democracy march has said, recalling how some of the 43 defendants remained undeterred after their arrests.
Johnson Yeung Ching-yin, from the Civil Human Rights Front, was among 49 people arrested during Sunday’s protest – deemed illegal as it had not received police approval – in Central and Western district on Hong Kong Island.
One failed to show in court and a warrant has been issued for her arrest.
“The government is trying to deter protesters with heavy rioting charges … but it only shows the government is not going to reconcile with society and solve the political crisis,” Yeung said on a radio programme on Thursday morning.