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Hong Kong courts
Hong KongLaw and Crime

Hong Kong opposition activist Joshua Wong among group facing five years in jail over banned June 4 vigil after guilty pleas

  • Former lawmaker Eddie Chu and three district councillors also plead guilty
  • Media mogul Jimmy Lai among 24 who have cases transferred to District Court

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Joshua Wong (centre) takes part in a June 4 vigil in Victoria Park. Photo: Sam Tsang
Brian Wong
Hong Kong opposition activist Joshua Wong Chi-fung and four others may face five years in jail, after deciding to plead guilty to taking part in last year’s banned June 4 vigil.
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Lawyers for 19 other co-defendants, including media mogul Jimmy Lai Chee-ying, asked the District Court on Friday for extra time to decide on their respective pleas pending the verdict of a similar case related to an anti-government protest in 2019.

The 24 defendants appeared at West Kowloon Court for a mention hearing over the unauthorised assembly in Victoria Park last summer.

The court previously ordered the arrests of two co-defendants, Nathan Law Kwun-chung and Sunny Cheung Kwan-yang, who had absconded.

Janelle Leung (left) and Tiffany Yuen leave West Kowloon Court after pleading guilty to an unlawful assembly charge. Photo: K. Y. Cheng
Janelle Leung (left) and Tiffany Yuen leave West Kowloon Court after pleading guilty to an unlawful assembly charge. Photo: K. Y. Cheng
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Those who will plead guilty include Wong, former lawmaker Eddie Chu Hoi-dick, and three district councillors: Lester Shum, Tiffany Yuen Ka-wai and Janelle Leung Hoi-ching. They each face a count of knowingly taking part in an unauthorised assembly, punishable by five years in prison.

The remaining 19 face a total of 32 charges, including organising or taking part in an unauthorised assembly, as well as a related incitement offence. The charges share the same maximum jail sentence under public order legislation.

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