Hong Kong corruption-buster arrests man suspected of calling for district council election boycott

Hong Kong's anti-corruption agency has apprehended a man under suspicion of inciting others to abstain from voting in the forthcoming district council election. The suspect, a 38-year-old analyst programmer, allegedly propagated a boycott message on social media during the 'election period', as stated by a representative from the Independent Commission Against Corruption.

The commission, tasked with enforcing the Elections (Corrupt and Illegal Conduct) Ordinance, confiscated the suspect's mobile phone during the arrest. The 'election period' refers to the duration from the opening of nominations (October 17) to the election day (December 10).

This upcoming election is significant as it's the inaugural one since the authorities revamped the procedures, reducing the number of directly elected seats to 88. Out of the total 470 council seats, 176 will be elected by three area committees in each district, 179 will be appointed by the city leader, and the remaining 27 seats will be occupied by the chairs of rural committees. Under the new reform, district-level officials will have absolute control over the new councils' agenda, aligning with Beijing's principle of having only 'patriots' in charge. The commission stated that the man is currently under investigation and did not dismiss the possibility of further law enforcement action. They urged the public to refrain from engaging in any illegal activities or sharing any unlawful content, reminding them that inciting others to boycott an election is a punishable offence, with a penalty of up to three years in prison and a fine of HK$200,000 (US$25,590).