Hong Kong’s Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) on Aug. 2 charged pro-democracy activist Au Nok-hin and Cantopop singer Wong Yiu-ming, AKA Anthony Wong, with “corrupt conduct” for allegedly breaching election laws by having Wong perform two songs at a rally for Au in his 2018 run for the Legislative Council. The ICAC cited provisions of the Elections Corrupt & Illegal Conduct Ordinance, which define as corrupt conduct meeting “all or part of the cost of providing food, drink or entertainment for another person for the purpose of inducing a third party to vote or not vote for a particular candidate at an election.” Hong Kong’s Department of Justice withdrew the charges against the pair two days after Wong was arrested, but they were both placed under a “bind-over order.” Under terms of the order, they each put up a $2,000 bond and will face no criminal charges if they maintain “good behavior” for a period of 24 months. “Hongkongers keep singing, Hongkongers keep going,” Wong told reporters as he left the courtroom.
Au is already serving a 10-month prison term over his involvement in a 2019 protest, and is one of dozens of politicians facing charges under the new National Security Law in connection with an informal election primary held by pro-democracy parties last year, which the authorities say was part of a plan to subvert the government. (Jurist, HKFP, NYT)
Image: IFC via Twitter
Hong Kong singer-activist charged with ‘sedition’
Hong Kong pro-democracy singer-activist Tommy Yuen has been officially charged with committing an “act or acts with seditious intention” in connection with his social media posts. He was remanded into custody pending trial. (HKFP)