Ex-Hong Kong lawmaker ‘Long Hair’ Leung Kwok-hung pleads not guilty to contempt charge over folder-snatching incident
- The former opposition politician is already serving jail time for his role in a series of unauthorised protests in 2019 and 2020
- The charge stems from a 2016 Legislative Council session in which Leung grabbed a stack of documents away from a government official
“Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung on Friday entered his plea at Eastern Court in the 2016 case, which was put on a long hiatus while a challenge over the constitutionality of his prosecution was resolved.
“I am innocent. I was deemed guilty because of my resistance,” Leung said. “I plead not guilty to the charge.”
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The 65-year-old former League of Social Democrats chairman is accused of causing a disturbance during a joint meeting of Legco’s housing and development panels by taking a pile of confidential documents away from then undersecretary for development Eric Ma Siu-cheung.
Leung was charged in June 2017 with contempt under the Legislative Council (Powers and Privileges) Ordinance, a 1985 law initially designed to shield lawmakers from legal troubles in connection with debates in the legislature.
The year after Leung was charged, a magistrate held that the offence was not applicable to Legco members. But the Court of Final Appeal in September overturned that decision, sending the case back to the magistracy for trial after ruling that lawmakers could indeed be held liable for disturbing legislative sessions.
A defence lawyer said Leung would argue in the coming trial that he was merely exercising his freedom of expression as a lawmaker. The trial will begin on January 19 before Principal Magistrate Ada Yim Shun-yee.
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Contempt of the legislature is punishable by one year in jail and a HK$10,000 (US$1,280) fine.
He is also awaiting trial on a charge of conspiracy to subvert state power under the security law over his role in an unofficial opposition primary election last year.
