Student activist brought to court over national security case

Hong Kong student activist Tony Chung Hon-lam was brought to the District Court today, facing four charges - one each of secession and conspiring to publish seditious content, and two of money laundering.

Chung did not need to take a plea, while designated national security judge at the District Court Amanda Jane Woodcock adjourned the case to March 25 to give Chung more time to apply for legal aid.

Chung will be remanded till then.

Prosecutors alleged that Chung sought to separate Hong Kong from mainland China, or to alter the city’s legal status unlawfully, between July 1 and October 27 last year.

He was also accused of conspiring to publish seditious articles between April 29 and October 27 of the same year, an offense that carries a maximum sentence of two years in prison and a HK$5,000 fine for a first offense.

The money-laundering charges, punishable by up to 14 years in prison and a HK$5 million fine, accuse Chung of handling more than HK$716,000 through a PayPal account and a bank account between January 2, 2018 and October 27, 2020.