August 12, 2024
HONG KONG – The Hong Kong Court of Final Appeal on Monday dismissed the appeal of media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and six former lawmakers to overturn their convictions over participating in an unauthorized assembly during the 2019 social unrest.
Apart from Lai, founder of the now-defunct tabloid Apple Daily, the other appellants were Lee Cheuk-yan, Margaret Ng Ngoi-yee, Leung Kwok-hung, Cyd Ho Sau-lan, Albert Ho Chun-yan and Martin Lee Chu-ming.
In 2021, the seven were convicted of organizing and taking part in a large-scale assembly at Victoria Park on Aug 18, 2019, which had been banned by police for security grounds.
Lai and three defendants were sentenced to jail term of eight to 18 months. Three others were sentenced to two years’ probation.
The Court of Appeal later quashed the conviction of organizing the assembly and reduced their sentences, but upheld the conviction of participating in unauthorized assembly.
Lai’s sentence was reduced from 12 to nine months, Lee Cheuk-yan’s from 12 to six months, Leung’s from 18 to 12 months, and Cyd Ho’s from eight to five months.
The appellants argued that they were exercising their right of peaceful assembly at the time. However, the Department of Justice pointed out violent incidents often occurred during such gatherings in 2019, necessitating police assessment of the situation. The department added that the appellants had no valid justification, as they were aware that the assembly was unlawful but decided to participate.