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Image source,Reuters
Huang Zhifeng and Lin Langyan were escorted in a prison car to appear in court on Wednesday to hear the verdict.
Hong Kong’s disbanded pro-democracy organization “Hong Kong Zhifeng”, former Secretary General Huang Zhifeng, former President Lin Langyan and former Deputy Secretary General Zhou Ting all pleaded guilty to an illegal assembly at a rally in June last year. The local court on Wednesday (December 2) was sentenced, Huang Zhifeng was sentenced to 13.5 months in prison, Zhou Ting was sentenced to 10 months in prison, and Lin Langyan was sentenced to 7 months in prison.
In sentencing, Magistrate Wang Sili said that the three were committing crimes during a time of growing social movement, and that they were committing crimes in society, dividing work and cooperating, and intended to use words and actions to incite others to participate in this manifestation. The magistrate believed the trio had premeditated and actively participated, and the assembly went on a large scale, causing roadblocks and potential hazards, and wasting police resources to respond.
According to the Hong Kong “Position News” report, the three looked at the public gallery from time to time at the prison column. Before Huang Zhifeng left, he yelled, “I know it’s so difficult, but I will endure it,” and the observers also yelled “Let’s go.”
His supporters and human rights organizations considered this to be “political repression”, and his opponents believed that they “deserved their sins”. Before the trial, some citizens protested outside court, accusing the three of “great crimes” and criticizing them for “causing Hong Kong.” “Traitor”. The official Chinese media described them as “troublemakers in Hong Kong” and should be severely condemned.
The case alleged that on June 21 last year, as protesters surrounded the Hong Kong government headquarters and the Legislative Council building, three defendants appeared around 11 a.m. Huang Zhifeng and Lin Langyan incited the crowd to surround the Hong Kong police headquarters 200 meters away, while Zhou Ting said Participating alongside, during which Huang Zhifeng and Lin Langyan used loudspeakers to shout, and Huang Zhifeng and Zhou Ting also accepted media interviews. Huang Zhifeng’s conversation on communication software Telegram also mentioned the readiness to surround the police headquarters.
After arguing with their lawyers, the three men successively pleaded guilty. Huang Zhifeng and Lin Langyan have been sentenced to prison in other cases in the past. This is the longest sentence Huang Zhifeng has faced since taking part in politics. Zhou Ting was sentenced to prison for the first time. She was also arrested in August this year on suspicion of violating the Hong Kong area “National Security Law”. She was not prosecuted at the time, was granted a bond of HK $ 200,000 and had her passport confiscated.
Image source,Reuters
News of the three in jail
During his detention, the Department of Correctional Services accused Huang Zhifeng of having foreign objects in his belly and kept him in solitary confinement for several days. This generally implies that the prisoner may be concealing drugs and imposing quarantine measures, the lights will not be off all day, and there will be little chance of leaving the room.
His Facebook page posted a personal letter he wrote while in solitary confinement. He said he had never had anything to do with drugs and was “completely confused” as to why he was accused of having foreign objects in his belly, but pointed to the relevant parts. The detained person cannot examine X-rays and has no way of verifying it. The Department of Correctional Services declined to comment on the allegations.
Huang Zhifeng said that the treatment of being quarantined was very unbearable. Except for visits and the bathroom, he was not allowed to leave the cell. Staff members came to check their blood oxygen and blood pressure every 4 hours. Since the lights didn’t go out for 24 hours, Wearing a mask as an eye mask, he hardly slept. He was often asked to get up and check in in the early hours of the morning. Also, I couldn’t use the toilet, the tap, or the water. I could only use the plastic toilet tray provided by the authorities, but it was sometimes rarely replaced. Put a small solution in the sink.
He said that when he was in solitary confinement, he cut off all activities and communication, his emotions were affected, and he was unable to analyze the political and social environment. However, he knew that many people faced lawsuits and called on supporters to “do more and more.”
He wrote in his handwritten letter: “I will also learn to turn suffering in prison into fruits that fuel my growth. I know it will not be easy, but I will work hard to resist and encourage each other.”
Huang Zhifeng, Zhou Ting and Lin Langyan admitted to inciting others to participate in the illegal assembly and were arrested on the spot. All three spoke to reporters before appearing in court.
Zhou Ting’s Facebook page was also updated for her. The administrator replied to what a friend said when visiting Zhou Ting, saying that Zhou Ting slept badly and was a bit ill. When he had insomnia, he recalled that the court magistrate said he would not impose a social service order. Shi felt very aggrieved, thinking of being sentenced to prison, felt bad and worried, but also called on people to support the “yellow tent” of the pro-demonstration camp.
Zhou Ting was previously selected as one of the BBC’s 100 Women. He said in an interview with the BBC in Chinese: “The cost of participating in the fight is getting higher. Many people have paid and sacrificed, not just money and time … Hong Kong has many friends, youth and resistance. Those who face greater pressure and fear than me, I know that although I face a lot of pain, many people suffer more than I do ”.
“It is undeniable that this city is becoming more and more desperate, and I also feel that the road ahead is limitless. If you ask me what I can do next, I cannot answer, but we cannot let despair take hold of us. Let’s not forget out of fear. In my opinion, an ideal Hong Kong, a democratic Hong Kong. “
Before being arrested, Lin Langyan accepted an interview with the Hong Kong Apple Daily. He said that he had already tried to be sentenced to prison. He said he should bring a book to kill time. He sent a message to the people of Hong Kong to continue to maintain their current positions and platforms to speak out in the face of political repression. Faith and perseverance are the engine that drives endurance.
