Hong Kong's West Kowloon court sentenced prominent pro-democracy activist Wong Chi-fung to 13.5 months in prison. Huang Zhifeng has embarked on the road of resistance since the 2010s. The verdict sheds light on the future for pro-democracy activists and ordinary Hong Kongers who have the courage to continue fighting for freedom. Sadly, this future is bleak. Last (2019), 10 days after the government cracked down on anti-amendment protests outside government headquarters, Hong Kongers took to the streets again, as the legislature had not fully withdrawn the mandate that the government could extradite to mainland China for trial. Fugitive Offenders Ordinance.
He was convicted of contempt of court during the pro-democracy protests in 2014. Wong Zhifeng, who had just been released from prison for four photo background removing days at the time, called on Hong Kong people to protest outside the police headquarters not far from the government headquarters, and asked for peace with Lo Weicong, then the Hong Kong Police Commissioner. dialogue. To this end, Huang Zhifeng and his partners were arrested on the charge of organizing illegal assembly. The charge stems from Hong Kong's Public Order Ordinance, a law that has been repeatedly criticized by activists and the United Natio
The law will put anyone in the city in jail if a crowd of three or more goes in the same direction and is ready to "break the peace". Before the handover of sovereignty, the Public Order Ordinance was once relaxed under the British government, but it was reinstated after 1997. In the early 2010s, courts could sentence organizers to non-custodial sentences, such as community service, or even acquit them. But courts have been observed to narrow the sentencing leeway for protest leaders who organize rallies without permission. Last year, a court handed down a 16-month sentence to Professor Dai Yaoting, the leader of the 2014 democracy sit-in. The court has also sentenced Huang Zhifeng to six months in prison for being involved in the same activity. Today's courts undoubtedly narrow the margins of discretion. The world may be holding out hope that the sentencing of Wong and his partners may spark a new round of