On Tuesday, former Hong Kong district councilor Ng Kin-wai expressed that he felt no remorse for participating in what has been described as a conspiracy to subvert state power during the 2020 Legislative Council election, as reported by local media. Ng stated that he was unaware of any illegality associated with his actions until his arrest in January 2021. He believed that the “Five Demands Not One Less” slogan, which encapsulated the core demands of 2019’s pro-democracy protests, was both legal and reasonable. However, he acknowledged that his lack of remorse might lead to a commuted sentence.
As outlined, Ng, like 46 other pro-democracy activists, faces charges under Article 22(3) of the China-imposed National Security Law. The charges are linked to their attempt to secure a controlling majority in the election to pressure then-Chief Executive Carrie Lam to resign, leveraging Article 52 of the Basic Law. While 31 activists admitted guilt, 16 contested the charges. In May, the Hong Kong Court of First Instance found 14 out of these 16 guilty of subversion.
The prosecution argued that the defendants aimed to veto government budgets to force Lam into addressing their demands, including the withdrawal of the controversial extradition bill and her resignation. This strategy was seen as subversive following the promulgation of the National Security Law on June 30, 2020. Among those involved, Lau Wai-chung and Lee Yue-shun were acquitted, as the court found insufficient evidence of their intent to subvert state power.
Ng’s unique position in representing himself during mitigation proceedings marks a notable development in the ongoing case. For a detailed account, you can read the full article on JURIST.