Hong Kong Court Throws Out Protest Leaders’ Prison Sentences
- 6 years ago
Hong Kong Court Throws Out Protest Leaders’ Prison Sentences
Last month, Chief Justice Ma warned against "a tendency to associate what may be the desired result in court proceedings with the integrity of the court system itself or with the integrity of the judge or judges involved." Mr. Wong
and Mr. Chow were found guilty in 2016 of unlawful assembly, while Mr. Law was found guilty of inciting people to take part in the assembly.
6, 2018
HONG KONG — Three leaders of protests that filled Hong Kong streets for weeks had their prison sentences thrown out by Hong Kong’s highest court on Tuesday, in a case
that has drawn international scrutiny over accusations that the government was carrying out prosecutions to punish political opponents.
Last week, 12 members of the United States Congress nominated Mr. Wong, Mr. Chow
and Mr. Law, along with the rest of the Umbrella Movement, for the Nobel Peace Prize, calling the case against the three "trumped-up." Hong Kong and mainland Chinese officials accused the American politicians of interfering in domestic Chinese affairs.
The Hong Kong Department of Justice said it welcomed the message
that future violations may receive prison terms, and that little weight would be given to whether such acts were committed "in the exercise of constitutional rights or acts of civil disobedience." There was little celebration from the protest leaders.
Hong Kong said that We walk free but Hong Kong’s democracy has lost a battle.
Last month, Mr. Wong was sentenced to three months’ prison time in another Umbrella
Movement case for failing to leave a protest area as ordered by a court.
Last month, Chief Justice Ma warned against "a tendency to associate what may be the desired result in court proceedings with the integrity of the court system itself or with the integrity of the judge or judges involved." Mr. Wong
and Mr. Chow were found guilty in 2016 of unlawful assembly, while Mr. Law was found guilty of inciting people to take part in the assembly.
6, 2018
HONG KONG — Three leaders of protests that filled Hong Kong streets for weeks had their prison sentences thrown out by Hong Kong’s highest court on Tuesday, in a case
that has drawn international scrutiny over accusations that the government was carrying out prosecutions to punish political opponents.
Last week, 12 members of the United States Congress nominated Mr. Wong, Mr. Chow
and Mr. Law, along with the rest of the Umbrella Movement, for the Nobel Peace Prize, calling the case against the three "trumped-up." Hong Kong and mainland Chinese officials accused the American politicians of interfering in domestic Chinese affairs.
The Hong Kong Department of Justice said it welcomed the message
that future violations may receive prison terms, and that little weight would be given to whether such acts were committed "in the exercise of constitutional rights or acts of civil disobedience." There was little celebration from the protest leaders.
Hong Kong said that We walk free but Hong Kong’s democracy has lost a battle.
Last month, Mr. Wong was sentenced to three months’ prison time in another Umbrella
Movement case for failing to leave a protest area as ordered by a court.