Joshua Wong wants one-third reduction as court continues to hear mitigation pleas

Activist Joshua Wong Chi-fung asked for a lesser sentence on Friday as the court proceeded to hear the mitigation pleas from the third batch of defendants convicted of conspiracy to commit subversion. 

Urging for a one-third reduction in the sentence at West Kowloon Court, Wong’s defense counsel Marco Li Kwok-wai pointed out that Wong should be categorized as an “active participant” in this case since he neither organized nor provided in the unofficial primary election. 

Although Wong, 27, had lobbied internationally in the UK, the US, and the United Nations, Li stressed that this case is of a domestic nature and doesn’t involve foreign collusion. 

The provisions under Article 30 of the National Security Law – which warrant a more severe penalty for the involvement of foreign elements – therefore do not apply, Li added. 

The judges then pointed to Wong’s previous convictions, including being prosecuted for rallying outside and surrounding the police headquarters in June 2019, breaking the anti-mask law the first day it came into effect, disclosing the personal data of a cop who shot a protester thus breaching a court injunction, and attending an unauthorized June 4 vigil in 2020. 

Li admitted these records are all aggravating factors that call for a heavier penalty but again pleaded to the court that Wong was not a “principal offender” in this case. Li also submitted mitigation letters penned by Wong’s mother, classmates in church, and former school teachers. 

“He very much hopes that after all these offenses, he could part with his past and be able to reform himself after this particular offense,” Li said. 

The other five defendants in the third batch of the convicted 45 democrats and activists include Jeremy Jansen Tam Man-ho, 49, Kinda Li Ka-tat, 32, Tam Tak-chi, 52, Wu Chi-wai, 61, and Sze Tak-loy, 41. 

Senior counsel Ambrose Ho Pui-him, representing Jeremy Tam, said Tam –  a taxi-driver-turned-pilot – gave up his well-paying job to become a politician just to contribute to society. Ho also cited Legislative Council records before July 2020 that Tam had been in support of the government’s funding requests. 

Ho also noted that Tam voted in favor for 10 of 11 motions without indiscriminately vetoing bills, showing that he carried out his duties as a lawmaker diligently. 

Among the six defendants, only Sze pleaded not guilty to the subversion charge and was later convicted after a trial. The rest all entered a guilty plea. 

+2