Of all the national security threats Hong Kong has faced in recent years – teenagers, housewives, booksellers, etc – this one must be the most pitiful…
A Hong Kong court has sentenced a man with an intellectual disability to two years and four months in prison for inciting subversion, promoting a pro-Taiwan party and disseminating anti-Communist Party messages, with the judge noting that his condition had affected his moral judgment.
District Court Judge Stanley Chan Kwong-chi on Monday sentenced Chan Ho-hin, a 23-year-old waiter, who had earlier pleaded guilty to publishing 118 subversive messages on his social media accounts between June 27, 2024, and April 24, 2025.
The defendant repeatedly posted messages suggesting the Taiwanese government could “liberate” Hong Kong if it were to regain power in mainland China.
…Though he denied being a party member, evidence showed that the defendant had frequent exchanges with a person claiming to be Cheng Kai-li, the [China Pro-Taiwan Anti-Communist Restoration] party’s secretary general.
The defendant said he supported the party’s manifesto and the unification of China under Taiwan’s government.
One absurdity on top of another (even disregarding the ‘…with a person claiming to be…’ stuff). This supposed party has Chiang Kai-shek-era KMT ideology – seeing the Republic of China as the true China (temporarily ensconced on the island of Taiwan) and the PRC as an illegitimate entity to be displaced one day. The group rejects the modern-day KMT on the grounds that it has become pro-CCP.
This is not a ‘pro-Taiwan’ position. Most Taiwanese people have no wish to pretend to ‘own’ (or be a part of) China. Where Hong Kong is concerned, if the group adheres to traditional KMT thinking, it would see the city simply as a rightful part of China (along with, among other former Qing domains, Mongolia).
Only nerds can get their heads around the ROC/KMT/modern-Taiwan history, dynamics and definitions. The media (including the SCMP) invariably can’t. With all respect, it is unlikely that a mentally disabled waiter has a clue about it. It is equally unlikely that he understands the concept of ‘inciting subversion’. Do any of us?
Meanwhile 14 triads suspected of murdering a rival at his gym were acquitted and free to go.
So will DoJ appeal the decision in line with its usual practice?
Talking of courts, will the Taties finally face UK courts?
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/andrew-tristan-tate-brothers-federal-detention-miami/
President Trump doesn’t plan to get involved with the Tate case, a U.S. official familiar with the matter and another source familiar told CBS News on Monday.
One thing I discovered a few years back is HK customs posts fake ads on mainland Chinese social media for stuff like HK wedding photographer. The whole idea is to lure mainland Chinese into coming to HK and breaking the labour law. Essentially a manufactured crime as the “criminal” was tempted by an ad posted by law enforcement themselves.
My friend’s mainland friend was ensnared in such a trap. They pled guilty and spent 2 months in HK prison and were then deported back to Shenzhen.
It isn’t much of a stretch to imagine the NSL department of the police to concoct something similar, particularly when there is pressure to constantly look for NSL crime, an insight we gleaned from the sentencing of that upskirt NSL cop