Joshua Wong, Hong Kong activist in Umbrella Movement protests, imprisoned 3 months - Action News
Home WebMail Saturday, November 23, 2024, 07:52 AM | Calgary | -12.2°C | Regions Advertise Login | Our platform is in maintenance mode. Some URLs may not be available. |
World

Joshua Wong, Hong Kong activist in Umbrella Movement protests, imprisoned 3 months

A Hong Kong court on Wednesday sentenced democracy activist Joshua Wong to three months in prison for contempt, his second term behind bars stemming from his role in 2014's so-called Umbrella Movement protests.

Wong, a teen when widespread protests broke out in 2014, was also jailed in a separate case

Pro-democracy activists Lester Shum, Raphael Wong and Joshua Wong, left to right, chant slogans outside High Court before receiving their sentences in Hong Kong on Wednesday. (Bobby Yip/Reuters)

A Hong Kong court on Wednesday sentenced democracy activist Joshua Wong to three months in prison for contempt, his second prison term stemming from his role in 2014's so-called Umbrella Movement protests.

Wong, 21,and another defendant were immediately taken into custody at Hong Kong's High Court, while 14 others, including another prominent former student leader, Lester Shum, received suspended sentences.

"Keep it up, everyone!" Wong called out to the court before officers escorted him away.

Ahead of the hearing, he said he had no regrets and vowed to keep fighting for democracy.

"They can lock up our body, but they can't lock up our mind," he told reporters.

It's the latest legal setback for Wong, who has been involved in multiple court cases in the aftermath of the protests, including one that also resulted in a prison sentence, which he's appealing.

Related to Wednesday's sentencing, Wong had pleaded guilty last year for failing to comply with a court order to clear out of a protest camp blocking a main road during the 79-day protests that were held to oppose Beijing's plans to restrict elections for the top leader of the semiautonomous Chinese city.

Wong seen as being extensively involved

High Court Judge Andrew Chan said in the ruling that although Wong only stayed in the camp briefly, his involvement in obstruction was deep and extensive.

"He played a leading role on that day. In view of his overall involvement, I am of the view that the only appropriate punishment for Mr. Wong will be one of immediate imprisonment," the judge said.

Wong helped lead the protests while still a teenager and gained global attention as a result.

Last year,he served about two months of a six-month sentence in a separate unlawful assembly case, before being granted bail so he could file an appeal in a hearing on Tuesday. But the judges are not expected to issue their ruling until a later date.

Wong appeared with pro-democracy activists Lester Shum andRaphael Wongchant slogans outside High Court before receiving their sentences.

Raphael Wong also received a four-month jail sentence, while Shum received a one-month suspended sentence and a fine.