Chu was charged with “doing with a seditious intention an act” after he was arrested on June 12 at a subway station while wearing a T-shirt that read “Liberate Hong Kong
A 27-year-old Hong Kong man, Chu Kai-pong, pleaded guilty on Monday to sedition charges for wearing a T-shirt with a protest slogan, marking the first conviction under the city’s newly passed national security law. The law, which was enacted in March, significantly expands the penalties for such offences.
Chu was charged with “doing with a seditious intention an act” after he was arrested on June 12 at a subway station while wearing a T-shirt that read “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times.” He was also wearing a yellow mask printed with “FDNOL,” a shorthand for the protest slogan “five demands, not one less.” Both slogans were commonly used during the massive pro-democracy protests in 2019, some of which turned violent.
The date of his arrest, June 12, coincided with a key moment in the 2019 protests, which had led to months of unrest across the city. According to court statements, Chu told the police he wore the T-shirt to remind people of the protests.
Chief Magistrate Victor So, who was specifically appointed by Hong Kong’s leader, John Lee, to handle national security cases, adjourned the sentencing to Thursday. Under the new security law, the maximum penalty for sedition has been raised from two years to seven years in prison. The sentence could extend to 10 years if collusion with foreign forces is proven.
Hong Kong, which was handed back to China from British control in 1997 under the “one country, two systems” framework, had initially been promised that its freedoms, including free speech, would be preserved. However, Beijing imposed a national security law in 2020 that introduced harsh penalties for acts of secession, subversion, terrorism, or collusion with foreign forces, with sentences of up to life imprisonment.
In March 2024, the city passed another security law known as “Article 23,” referencing the provision in its Basic Law, Hong Kong’s mini-constitution. The new law, which targets sedition, has been met with concern by critics, including the U.S. government, who fear the vaguely defined provisions could be used to suppress dissent.
Hong Kong and Chinese officials have defended the law, stating that it was necessary to close loopholes in the city’s national security measures.
