Hong Kong: First person jailed under national security law to appeal against conviction
The first person convicted under Hong Kong national security law has filed an appeal against his conviction and nine-year sentence.
Tong Ying-kit, 24, was found guilty of terrorism and inciting secession for driving a motorbike into a group of police officers while carrying a “Liberate Hong Kong” protest flag on July 1, 2020.
The city’s department of justice confirmed today it had received a notice of application for leave to appeal from the 24-year-old who was jailed on 30 July, reported South China Morning Post.
The three-judge panel of Hong Kong’s high court sentenced Tong to nine years in jail and disqualified him from driving for 10 years.
The judges ruled the slogan with the words “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times” was capable of inciting others to commit secession.
The Hong Kong national security law, imposed by Beijing on 30 June 2020, criminalises what China considers as subversion, secession, terrorism and collusion with foreign forces.