‘I will appeal against conviction’, Wong Yuk-man says after getting jail for hurling glass at Hong Kong’s CY Leung
Magistrate compared case to that of social activist Chan Tak-cheung, who was jailed three weeks for throwing egg at Financial Secretary John Tsang
Former lawmaker Wong Yuk-man vowed to appeal against his conviction after he was jailed for two weeks on Tuesday for hurling a glass at Chief Executive Leung Chun-ying during a Legislative Council meeting two years ago.
The 64-year-old was not immediately remanded as magistrate Chu Chung-keung granted his bail application pending appeal, with his bail set at HK$5,000.
The Eastern Court case marked the first conviction of a lawmaker for protesting within the deliberation chambers.
Wong said that he was definitely going to file an appeal, otherwise lawmakers like “Long Hair” Leung Kwok-hung, who threw luncheon meat in the meeting chamber last Wednesday, could incite fear over his actions and go to jail a few more times without hurting anyone.
“The reason for my appeal is so that the executive branch cannot easily prosecute you, future protesters in the legislature, with a criminal offence,” he said. “How can you criminally prosecute a legislative protest?”
He said the case was “a political prosecution from start to finish” and he had expected a jail sentence after he was convicted of common assault.
