Hong Kong man jailed for 'seditious' T-shirt

In Hong Kong, a man named Chu Kai-pong has been sentenced to 14 months in prison after he admitted to committing sedition by wearing a T-shirt with a protest slogan. This sentence is significant as it is the first one given under a new national security law that was introduced in March. This law builds upon a previous national security law that was enforced by the Chinese government in 2020. Many critics are concerned that this new law will further diminish the civil liberties that residents of Hong Kong have enjoyed. On the other hand, both the Hong Kong and Chinese governments argue that the law is essential for maintaining stability in the region. Chu, who is 27 years old, was arrested in June at a subway station while wearing a T-shirt that displayed the phrase 'Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times'. He also had a mask with the letters 'FDNOL', which stands for 'Five demands, not one less', another slogan that was commonly used during the large protests in Hong Kong in 2019. Reports from local media indicate that he was also carrying a box containing his excrement, which he intended to use against those who opposed his views. Chu's arrest occurred on June 12, a date that marks a significant moment in the 2019 protests when many people took to the streets. During the court proceedings, it was revealed that Chu told the police he wore the T-shirt to remind people of the protests. This was not his first encounter with the law; he had previously served three months in jail for wearing the same T-shirt and for possessing other offensive items. Since June 14, he has been held in custody. On Monday, he pleaded guilty to one count of engaging in an act with seditious intent. In a judgment delivered on Thursday, Chief Magistrate Victor So, who was appointed by the government to oversee national security cases, stated that Chu intended to 'reignite the ideas behind' the protests of 2019. He noted that Chu 'showed no remorse' following his earlier conviction, and that the sentence was a reflection of the 'seriousness' of the sedition charge. The conviction and sentencing have drawn criticism from various human rights organizations. Sarah Brooks, the China director for Amnesty International, described the ruling as 'a blatant attack on the right to freedom of expression' and called for the repeal of Article 23 in her statement. This sentencing follows a landmark ruling from the previous month, where two journalists from the pro-democracy newspaper Stand News were found guilty of sedition, marking a significant moment since Hong Kong's handover from Britain to China in 1997.