First suspect charged under security law
23-year-old man faces charges of inciting secession, engaging in terrorist activities
A 23-year-old Hong Kong man became the first person to be prosecuted under Hong Kong’s newly promulgated national security law when he was charged on Friday with terrorism and inciting secession.
The case came shortly after the special administrative region government announced that a specialized prosecution division under the Department of Justice has been established to handle national security cases. Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor had designated a panel of six serving magistrates from the judiciary to handle such cases, as required by law.
Tong Ying-kit was accused of riding a motorcycle into a group of police during an unauthorized protest in Wan Chai on Wednesday. Video clips showed him carrying a flag saying “liberate Hong Kong”.
Under the new law, he faces one count of inciting others to organize, plan, commit, or participate in acts related to secession, and another count of engaging in terrorist activities “with a view to coercing the central government or the SAR government, or intimidating the public in order to pursue political agenda”.
The Hong Kong government said in a statement on Thursday night that displaying or possessing items bearing the words “liberate Hong Kong” connotes the intent to separate the SAR from China, or subvert State power.
About 370 people were arrested during the unlawful protests on Wednesday. Ten of those arrested were charged with offenses under the new national security law, police said.
Tong’s case was heard at West Kowloon Court on Friday afternoon, but Tong, who is hospitalized, was not present. The case was adjourned until July 6, or until Tong is released from the hospital.
Ruling on the case was Chief Magistrate Victor So Wai-tak, one of the six magistrates whom Lam selected to preside over national security cases after she consulted with the chief justice.
The Committee for Safeguarding National Security of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, which Lam chairs, was officially established on Friday. Luo Huining, the central government’s liaison chief in the SAR, was appointed by the State Council as national security adviser to the committee.
Edwina Lau Chi-wai, the deputy police chief newly appointed on Friday to lead the designated police division over national security, is also a member of the committee.
“Ms Lau has served in the Hong Kong Police Force for 35 years and has demonstrated distinguished leadership, professionalism and perseverance,” Lam said in a statement.
“I have no doubt that she can discharge the historic responsibility of leading the National Security Department of the Hong Kong Police Force to fulfill the crucial duty to safeguard national security at this critical moment,” she added.