Hong Kong protests: Telegram channel administrator pleads guilty to inciting violence
- Hui Chi-kit, 30, faces charges relating to his role as administrator of ‘engineernoextradition’ channel between July 2019 and May 2020
- Messages in the channel included posts teaching protesters how to use ‘fire magic’, referring to petrol bombs
An air-conditioning engineer who ran a Telegram channel for protesters has pleaded guilty to inciting violence during the 2019 social unrest in Hong Kong.
Hui Chi-kit, 30, appeared before the District Court on Wednesday to face charges relating to his role as the administrator of the “engineernoextradition” channel on the messaging platform between July 2019 and May 2020.
Following a plea bargain, prosecutors chose to pursue only two of five charges – inciting others to commit to causing grievous bodily harm with intent and make explosives. Hui pleaded guilty to both counts.
The dropped charges were inciting others to commit criminal damage, arson and cause public nuisance.
The court heard Hui was the owner and also in charge of the Telegram channel, which had more than 20,000 subscribers and had sent out 2,064 messages before it was removed by police following his arrest in May 2020. Non-subscribers could also access the channel.
