Duh !!
A Hong Kong martial arts coach has been sentenced to five years in prison after pleading guilty to inciting subversion under the Beijing-imposed national security law and one count of possession of arms without a license.
Meanwhile, the judge overseeing the case accidentally cut himself while handling a machete that had been admitted as evidence.
HKFP reports
A martial arts trainer in Hong Kong has pleaded guilty to inciting subversion under the national security law and one count of possession of arms without license. His assistant was granted bail pending sentencing after pleading guilty to an arms possession charge.
Denis Wong and Iry Cheung entered their guilty pleas before District Judge Ernest Lin on Friday, after spending close to 11 months in custody since their arrests last March.
Wong, who was a martial arts coach, pleaded guilty to inciting others to organise, plan, commit or participate in overthrowing or undermining the basic system of the People’s Republic of China and overthrowing the body power of Hong Kong and China between July 1, 2020 and March 20, 2022.
Wong originally faced a sedition charge under the colonial-era Crimes Ordinance, which warrants a maximum penalty of two years of imprisonment if convicted. His charge was upgraded to incitement to subversion last September, an offence under the sweeping national security legislation that is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. However, the jail sentences meted out at the District Court are capped at seven years.
‘Independent Hong Kong state’
According to the prosecution, the martial arts trainer, who was 59 when he was arrested last March, had two Facebook accounts under the names “Denis Wong” and “Tommy Wong.” He was said to have made 25 subversive posts on the former account, while the latter shared 14 subversive messages, all accessible to the general public.
The posts incited others to join Wong’s martial arts class and learn how to use weapons, prosecutor Vincent Lee told the court. The Facebook accounts also incited others to establish a shadow government and an “independent Hong Kong state,” with a picture of a black flag featuring the word: “Independent.”
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Hong Kong martial arts coach pleads guilty to inciting subversion
