Hong Kong:
A pro-democracy Hong Kong DJ went on trial Thursday for sedition in the 1st use of the colonial-era law because the city’s handover to China as authorities broaden their criminalisation of dissent.
Tam Tak-chi, 48, is amongst a developing quantity of activists charged with sedition, a tiny-applied decades-old law that prosecutors have dusted off in the last twelve months.
It is separate from the sweeping national safety law that was imposed on Hong Kong last year, which has also been used to prosecute dissidents.
Better identified by his DJ moniker “Fast Beat”, Tam faces eight sedition charges for slogans he either uttered or wrote amongst January and July last year.
He also faces other charges which includes inciting an unlawful assembly and disorderly conduct.
At the opening of his trial on Thursday, prosecutors study out these slogans, as effectively as some pro-democracy speeches Tam gave, frequently littered with colourful Cantonese curse words.
The slogans incorporated “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times”, “Corrupt cops, all of your family go to hell”, “Disband Hong Kong police, delay no more” and “Down with the Communist Party of China”.
The trial is a watershed legal moment for Hong Kong for the reason that it will set a precedent for what political phrases and views are now deemed illegal as China appears to stamp out dissent following substantial and frequently violent democracy protests two years ago.
On Tuesday, a Hong Kong court convicted a former waiter of terrorism and inciting secession in the 1st trial carried out below the new national safety law.
During that trial, judges ruled that the well known protest slogan “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times” was secessionist and for that reason a national safety crime.
Tam’s trial was delayed so judges could wait for Tuesday’s verdict, which was from a greater court.
In Hong Kong, sedition is broadly defined as any words that create “hatred, contempt or disaffection” towards the government or “encourage disaffection” amongst residents.
It was 1st penned by colonial ruler Britain in 1938 and had lengthy been criticised as an anti-totally free speech law.
By the time of Hong Kong’s 1997 handover, it had not been applied for decades and was a largely forgotten relic on the statute books in a city that had turn out to be a regional bastion of totally free speech.
But China is at the moment remoulding Hong Kong in its personal authoritarian image and the newly designed national safety police unit has resurrected the sedition law.
Last week, 5 members of a pro-democracy Hong Kong union that published children’s books about sheep attempting to hold back wolves from their village have been arrested for sedition.
Three have because been charged and remanded into custody.
Sedition carries up to two years in jail for a 1st offence.
In contrast, the national safety law is significantly harsher with up to life in prison for these who are convicted of significant offences.
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