Hong Kong’s West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts sentenced a Hong Kong protester, Tsang Chi-kin, to a prison term of three and a half years for charges of rioting and assaulting a police officer, as reported by the Hong Kong Free Press. Tsang allegedly pleaded guilty to both charges on September 28 and was apprehended in Sai Kung, Hong Kong while he was attempting to flee to Taiwan via a boat on July 13.
Back on October 1, 2019, during a National Day protest, Tsang was shot by a police officer when he swung a rod at a member of the police force. Tsang was reportedly seen in protective gear such as goggles, gloves, and a respirator and had in his possession a homemade shield. He was also accused of disregarding a police warning. The protest in question was attended by around 200 people, during which petrol bombs were thrown and fires ignited.
The Judge presiding over Tsang’s sentencing, Ada Yim, emphasized that Tsang’s sentence was an embodiment of the court’s resolve to uphold public order. Judge Yim acknowledged Tsang’s remorse articulated in a mitigation letter as well as his cooperation with the police. However, she maintained that his actions were premeditated and pointed to his disregard for police warnings.
In addition to Tsang, Fung Ching-wah, who was caught attempting to escape Hong Kong for Taiwan along with Tsang, was sentenced to four years in prison on September 11 over rioting and perverting the course of justice in 2019. The link to the details of Fung’s case can be found here.
The 2019 Hong Kong protests erupted in response to a proposed Hong Kong extradition bill. The bill was eventually withdrawn by the then Hong Kong Chief Executive, Carrie Lam, on September 4, 2019, following a wave of mass protests.
The original report can be found on the JURIST News.