HKFP write..
“The scariest thing about prison life is that it alters a person entirely without them realising it,” Tung, a former protester, told HKFP.
When Tung Sheung-Lam left Shek Pik Prison last month after two years and eight months behind bars, he was not expecting a welcoming party.
But the 23-year-old was surprised by his parents, who picked him up and whisked him off to a yum cha restaurant, followed by a hotel staycation. Now he has leisure to reflect on his time behind bars.
Tung was arrested in October 2019 for possessing and manufacturing explosives in an apartment in Tai Kok Tsui, where police found potassium nitrate, petrol bombs and modified drones.
He was found guilty in September 2021 on three charges and sentenced to 48 months in prison, but was released in July after his time on remand was taken into consideration.
Before his arrest, Tung was a student, with occasional part-time gigs as a salesperson. He even joined the student organisations at his community college. When the summer of 2019 came around, Tung quickly found himself fully committed to the democratic cause.
After his first taste of tear gas, he became a full-time protester, leading to his fateful decision and subsequent imprisonment.
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Former Hong Kong protesters reflect on life behind bars – and a changed city
