{"id":229824,"date":"2021-04-01T16:34:28","date_gmt":"2021-04-01T23:34:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/?p=229824"},"modified":"2022-09-09T18:17:12","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T01:17:12","slug":"hong-kongs-father-of-democracy-six-others-convicted-of-illegal-assembly","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chinadigitaltimes.net\/2021\/04\/hong-kongs-father-of-democracy-six-others-convicted-of-illegal-assembly\/","title":{"rendered":"Hong Kong’s “Father of Democracy,” Six Others, Convicted of Illegal Assembly"},"content":{"rendered":"

On Wednesday, March 31, Hong Kong\u2019s \u201cfather of democracy\u201d Martin Lee, media mogul Jimmy Lai, politician \u201cLong Hair\u201d Leung Kwok-hung, barrister Margaret Ng, and three others were convicted of illegal assembly for their leadership role in a peaceful 2019 march. During the August 18 march, an estimated 1.7 million people<\/a> defied a police ban to protest in the pouring rain<\/a>, walking from Victoria Park towards Central, Hong Kong\u2019s business district. Although expected, the conviction of the mostly elderly coalition of democracy activists\u2014Martin Lee is an octogenarian\u2014is a dark moment for freedom of assembly in Hong Kong. The group will face sentencing later in April. At The New York Times, Austin Ramzy detailed how a peaceful march became a means for the government to arrest prominent voices for democracy<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n

The case centered on a rally on Aug. 18, 2019, when hundreds of thousands of people gathered in an antigovernment protest.<\/p>\n

That gathering had received police approval. But what followed did not. The defendants were accused of leading protesters out of Victoria Park on Hong Kong Island, beginning a march that led toward the core business district. While there was no violence and minimal disorder, prosecutors argued that the march violated Hong Kong\u2019s public order ordinance.<\/p>\n

Their lawyers argued that leading protesters out of the park, which had filled with many more people than it could handle, was necessary for public safety. They also said that imprisoning them over a peaceful march was a heavy-handed application of the law. [Source<\/strong><\/a>]<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

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It was a sea of umbrellas, as the crowds kept growing despite the heavy downpour which lasted most of the day. pic.twitter.com\/XMSzZpWLOj<\/a><\/p>\n

— Jeppe Mulich (@jmulich) April 1, 2021<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n