Hong Kong Man Sentenced For 14 Months Over Protest T-Shirt

A Hong Kong man has been sentenced to 14 months in prison for sedition after wearing a T-shirt with a protest slogan. This marks the first conviction under a new local national security law enacted in March.

Chu Kai-pong, 27, was arrested in June at a subway station wearing a T-shirt that read “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times,” alongside a mask with the slogan “Five demands, not one less.” Both phrases were prominent during the 2019 anti-government protests in Hong Kong. Chu was also found carrying a box of excrement intended for use against opponents of his views.

Chu, who had previously served a three-month jail term for similar offenses, pleaded guilty to sedition. Chief Magistrate Victor So, appointed by the government to handle national security cases, emphasized Chu’s intent to “reignite” the 2019 protest movement and noted his lack of remorse.

The sentencing has been criticized by human rights advocates, with Amnesty International denouncing it as an “attack on freedom of expression” and calling for the repeal of the controversial Article 23. This case follows a recent conviction of journalists from Stand News for sedition, marking a significant increase in the use of sedition laws since Hong Kong’s 1997 handover from Britain to China.