HONG KONG: Three Hong Kong activists were jailed for up to six years on Thursday (Dec 28) after pleading guilty to charges relating to a plan to place bombs in court buildings and other public infrastructure in 2021 following widespread pro-democracy protests.
Ho Yu-wang, 20, Kwok Man-hei, 21, and Cheung Ho-yeung, 23, were all charged with “conspiracy to commit terrorism” under the National Security Law.
High Court Judge Alex Lee said he accepted that “the hostile social atmosphere” during Hong Kong’s protracted pro-democracy protests could “easily cloud one person’s moral judgment … (and) might turn people with previously good characters into radicals”.
Kwok belonged to a pro-independence group named “Returning Valiant”, according to the prosecution’s summary of facts.
The three were accused of planning to make improvised explosive devices and place them in public places including government offices, cross-harbour tunnels, police staff quarters, railways and court buildings between Apr 1, 2021, and Jul 5, 2021. The defendants were arrested before any of the devices were made or used.
Ho, who was alleged to be the mastermind behind the plan, and Cheung were sentenced to six years imprisonment, while Kwok was sentenced to 30 months imprisonment.
Source: CNA
