Lai, 9 others sentenced in Hong Kong

Hong Kong's District Court on Friday sentenced media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying to 14 months in prison for organizing and knowingly participating in an illegal assembly in 2019.

Lai is currently serving a 14-month prison sentence he received in April for taking part in unauthorized assemblies in August 2019. The judge consolidated the two sentences, with Lai to serve a total of 20 months behind bars.

Nine other defendants, including former lawmaker Albert Ho Chunyan and Figo Chan Ho-wun, convener of the extremist Civil Human Rights Front, also received prison sentences ranging from 14 to 18 months for organizing and knowingly joining in the same assembly, which was prohibited by the police due to concerns over public safety. Two of them, namely Sin Chung-kai and Richard Tsoi Yiu-cheong, received suspended sentences of 24 months.

Several of the defendants have already been imprisoned or detained for separate convictions or alleged offenses. With their previous sentences consolidated, the nine defendants will serve jail terms ranging from 12 months to 22 months.

Judge Amanda Jane Woodcock determined that the assembly resulted in massive public disorder and descended into violence, which was contrary to the defendants' claims.

The fact that there was criminal damage, acts of violence, weapons carried, roads blocked and fires started during the procession is evidence it was not peaceful, Woodcock said, adding that the defendants' calling it a nonviolent procession was "naive and unrealistic" considering the frequent violence arising from similar activities between June and September 2019 in the city.

She further pointed out the defendants' conscious decision to break the law and challenge public order in this manner during such volatile times was a serious factor.

Lai and nine other defendants pleaded guilty on May 17 to organizing an unauthorized assembly on Oct 1, 2019. Among them, Chan, Ho and two other ex-lawmakers－Lee Cheuk-yan and Leung Kwok-hungalso pleaded guilty to the offense of inciting others to participate in an unlawful assembly on Sept 30, 2019.

The others convicted are former district councilor Tsoi, ex-lawmakers Sin, Yeung Sum and Cyd Ho Saulan and activist Avery Ng Man-yuen.

Lai is also charged with offenses involving the Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, including colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security. The case was adjourned to June 15.