Today's sentencing of pro-democracy activists is a 'monstrous abuse of the legal system'

Today, courts in Hong Kong sentenced pro-democracy activists Joshua Wong and Lester Shum and two district councillors for their participation in the annual June 4 Tiananmen Square Vigil last year.

Joshua Wong, who is already serving 13.5 months in prison for his participation in an “unauthorised protest”, received an additional 10 months for his attendance at the vigil. Lester Shum received 6 months, and the two district councillors Tiffany Yuen and Jannelle Leung both received 4-month sentences.

On the same day, a judge sentenced three protestors all in their 20s up to four years in prison for “rioting”, despite stating that there was no evidence of three individuals being physically involved or present. Under the legal principle of joint-enterprise, the Justice Department and judge argued that they needed to set a ‘deterrent’ and that the accused should face the same punishment as those involved in confronting the police.

Commenting on today’s sentences, Benedict Rogers, Hong Kong Watch’s Chief Executive said:

“The jailing of Joshua Wong, Lester Shum, and two district councillors for their participation in a peaceful vigil marking the Tiananmen Square Massacre is a new low in the dismantling of the city’s freedom. It appears that it is now a crime in Hong Kong to remember the 1989 massacre, where the Chinese Communist Party killed thousands of student activists.

Meanwhile, the sentencing of three activists to up to four years in jail under the principle of joint enterprise is a monstrous abuse of the legal system and an affront to the idea of justice.

When a judge jails four young people in their twenties to up to four years imprisonment on the basis that there is no evidence that they physically participated in riots but under pressure by Beijing to set a deterrent, how can any one claim with a straight face that Hong Kong’s courts continues to uphold the rule of law?

It is increasingly clear that the Chinese Government no longer has any regard for Hong Kong’s Basic Law and the right of Hong Kongers to freedom expression and freedom of assembly. We urge likeminded democracies led by the UK Government to finally impose targeted Magnitsky sanctions on Hong Kong and Chinese officials responsible for human rights violations within the city.”