Hong Kong activist’s father convicted underneath nationwide safety over insurance coverage coverage

‘This…is a type of prosecution primarily based on household ties,’ says the lawyer of Kwok Yin-sang. Kwok’s daughter, Anna Kwok, is one among 34 abroad activists wished by Hong Kong nationwide safety police.

HONG KONG – A Hong Kong court docket discovered the daddy of a wished activist responsible of a nationwide safety violation on Wednesday, February 11, after he tried to finish her insurance coverage coverage and withdraw the funds, drawing worldwide criticism for the focusing on of family members of pro-democracy campaigners.

Kwok Yin-sang, 69, is the primary individual to be charged underneath a Hong Kong regulation generally known as Article 23 that expands on a Beijing-imposed nationwide safety regulation, for “trying to take care of, instantly or not directly, any funds or different monetary property or financial sources” belonging to an absconder.

His daughter, Anna Kwok, helps lead the Washington-based advocacy group Hong Kong Democracy Council, and is one among 34 abroad activists wished by Hong Kong nationwide safety police. She is accused of colluding with overseas forces and police have provided a bounty of HK$1 million ($127,400) for her arrest.

Kwok Yin-sang was accused of attempting to withdraw funds totalling HK$88,609 ($11,342) from an insurance coverage coverage which he purchased for her when she was nearly two years previous. He had pleaded not responsible and didn’t testify on the trial.

Performing Principal Justice of the Peace Cheng Lim-chi stated since Anna Kwok is a fugitive, instantly or not directly dealing with her insurance coverage coverage is unlawful.

A sentence shall be handed down on Feb 26. Kwok Yin-sang faces a most jail sentence of seven years, however the sentencing is capped at two years on the Justice of the Peace court docket stage.

Throughout arguments on sentencing, protection lawyer Steven Kwan requested the decide to think about a 14-day jail time period, as Kwok Yin-sang solely meant to get again the cash again for himself however no proof reveals that it might go to his daughter.

In accordance with the prosecution, when Kwok was arrested, he stated underneath police warning: “I do know my daughter is needed by the Safety Bureau. I used to be the one paying for her insurance coverage coverage. Since she’s now not in Hong Kong, I simply minimize it.”

Kwok Yin-sang’s bail was revoked after the conviction and he appeared calm and waved to his household as he was taken again into custody.

In the course of the closing submission, defence lawyer Kwan argued that part 89 and 90 of Article 23 shouldn’t apply in a case the place an individual was merely dealing with an insurance coverage coverage he had bought a very long time in the past for his kids.

“This…is a type of prosecution primarily based on household ties,” Kwan stated.

Anna Kwok’s brother was additionally arrested for a similar crime and is presently on bail.

Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch, stated punishing a father for his daughter’s peaceable activism is “an alarming act of collective punishment that has no place underneath worldwide human rights regulation.” – Rappler.com