Hong Kong Man Sentenced to 14 Months for Seditious Acts Endangering National Security

Magistrates' Court hands down sentence in case related to offences in connection with seditious intention

The Magistrates' Court today (September 19) handed down the sentence in a case involving the offence of "doing with a seditious intention an act or acts that had a seditious intention" under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance. The defendant who had earlier pleaded guilty was sentenced to imprisonment for 14 months.

The conviction and sentencing of the defendant demonstrates that any person intending to endanger national security or incite social hatred can never escape sanctions of the law. Hong Kong is a society underpinned by the rule of law, where laws must be obeyed and lawbreakers be held accountable. People who break the law must face legal sanctions for their malicious acts.

The magistrate clearly pointed out in the reasons for sentencing that, "The content of the seditious words in this case involved advocating divesting the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government from the lawful governance of the Central Authorities, and putting his agenda into action by undermining social tranquility and public order, seriously endangering the unity and territorial integrity of the State."

Furthermore, the magistrate also clearly pointed out that the defendant intended to bring other people into hatred and contempt against the HKSAR Government and law enforcement agencies, resulting in social rift and division. If the law does not intervene in time, it will make society once again fall into chaos.

The HKSAR Government spokesperson also pointed out that, "The Basic Law and the Hong Kong Bill of Rights guarantee fundamental rights such as the freedom of expression, peaceful assembly, procession and demonstration. Clear lines have been drawn between unlawful seditious acts and expressions, and lawful constructive criticisms under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance. The relevant provisions are also unambiguous."

"Doing with a seditious intention an act or acts that had a seditious intention" is an offence endangering national security. Members of the public should not defy the law.

Government posts second batch of notices of land resumption for Second Phase development of Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area

The Lands Department (LandsD) today (September 19) posted the second batch of resumption notices in accordance with section 4 of the Lands Resumption Ordinance (Chapter 124) for the Second Phase development of Hung Shui Kiu/Ha Tsuen New Development Area (HSK/HT NDA) to resume 297 private lots with a total area of about 17.7 hectares.

The 297 private lots to be resumed this time include sites with no application under the Enhanced Conventional New Town Approach received by the deadline in end-April this year, and a site with an application not accepted for further processing due to not fulfilling land exchange criteria. The land concerned requires resumption to allow the Government to carry out works.

The above 297 private lots will revert to the Government upon the expiry of a period of three months from the date of affixing the notices (i.e. December 20, 2024). The Government will release ex-gratia land compensation to the relevant land owners after the land reversion. The Government has approached all affected households and business operators and is handling the compensation and rehousing matters at full steam.

The first batch of resumption notices involving about 176 hectares of land for the Second Phase development of HSK/HT NDA was posted on May 30 this year. The said land reverted to the Government on August 31, and is gradually being handed over to the Civil Engineering and Development Department for site formation and engineering infrastructure works.

Upon full development, the HSK/HT NDA will provide about 66700 additional housing units, capable of accommodating a population of about 184000. In addition, the industrial and commercial land in the NDA will provide about 6.4 million square metres of gross floor area, creating about 150 000 job opportunities.