Hong Kong national security law: judge denies opposition activist bail after deciding he is still a threat
- Madam Justice Esther Toh cited prosectors’ concerns that Roy Tam has not changed his stance against the government
- Tam has been charged with subversion over his role in last year’s unofficial primary
A judge denied bail to an opposition activist charged with subversion after learning he had “persistently reiterated his stance against the Hong Kong government, the police and the national security law”.
Madam Justice Esther Toh Lye-ping, of the High Court, handed down the judgment on Monday explaining why she had previously denied bail to Roy Tam Hoi-pong, 41, who was charged with conspiracy to subvert state power over his role in an unofficial primary election last year.
“Having heard and seen the documents and videos, and also read and heard the submissions of both counsel, I am not satisfied that the applicant will not continue to commit acts endangering national security law if granted bail,” Toh wrote.
The prosecution has called the primary election “a massive and well-organised scheme” to paralyse the government and topple the city’s leader by winning a controlling majority in the Legislative Council.
Had the official election not been postponed because of public health concerns, they claimed the conspiracy would have been successful.
At the bail application hearing on August 23, defence counsel David Ma Wai-kwan submitted that Tam does not have much political influence, as can be seen from the fact that he lost in the primaries.