Former Hong Kong opposition lawmaker Albert Ho granted bail while facing national security charge after serving jail time for illegal assembly
- Former vice-chairman of now-defunct Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China was jailed in May 2021 over previous offence
- The 70-year-old left High Court in Admiralty at 5.20pm and entered private seven-seater car without speaking to media
Former Hong Kong opposition lawmaker Albert Ho Chun-yan was on Monday released on bail while facing a national security charge laid against him when he was serving time behind bars for unlawful assembly.
The 70-year-old, who spent more than 15 months in prison, left the High Court in Admiralty at 5.20pm and entered a private seven-seater vehicle without speaking to the media. He appeared to have lost weight.
The former vice-chairman of the now-defunct Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China was jailed in May 2021 for 18 months over an illegal gathering in October 2019.
While serving that sentence, he was charged by national security police with inciting others to subvert state power.
Ho would have been released last month if not for the national security charge. He had also previously applied for full bail and one-day bail to attend medical checks as he was diagnosed with cancer about six years ago.
The nine conditions set on him include cash bail of HK$700,000 (US$89,211), surety from two personal guarantees of HK$200,000 from his daughter and younger brother’s wife, as well as reporting to Wan Chai Police Station three times a week.
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He cannot leave Hong Kong, and must hand over all travel documents, observe a nighttime curfew, and live at his current address or notify police before changing it.
He must not directly or indirectly, in any way, make, distribute or reprint any speech or behaviour that may be regarded as violating the national security law or crimes endangering national security under Hong Kong legislation.
He must not contact foreign officials, parliamentarians, members of parliament of any rank, or other people serving the above in any way, directly or indirectly.
Former Democratic Party chairman Emily Lau Wai-hing and ex-district councillor Tsang Kin-shing were among supporters and friends who came to pick Ho up.
Lau, who had visited Ho earlier this month in prison, said the former vice-chairman had undergone and recovered from surgery for lung cancer a few years ago, but recently an X-ray had detected a shadow.
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“He wanted to conduct a full body check … as we were worried that [he] may relapse,” she said. “I am overjoyed [his bail was granted], as we did not have many expectations since there has been too much bad news recently.”
Ho, a lawyer by profession, served as a legislator for about two decades between 1995 and 2016, and chaired the Democratic Party, Hong Kong’s biggest opposition group, from 2006 to 2012.
In 2012, he ran in the chief executive election against Henry Tang Ying-yen and Leung Chun-ying, who won.
In May last year, he was among a group of opposition figures sentenced over their role in an illegal rally on National Day in 2019.
While some were sentenced to 14 months in jail, Ho was given 18 months after the judge concluded he was among four defendants who were more culpable as they had encouraged public participation by arranging a press conference the day before the rally to ensure maximum publicity.
