Singer-activist denied bail over sedition charge

Singer-activist Tommy Yuen Man-on has been remanded in custody after a court denied him bail over a sedition charge on Thursday.

The 41-year-old was brought to the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts on Thursday on one count of “doing an act or acts with seditious intention”, after he was accused to have provoked hatred towards the government and the judiciary on social media since last September.

Yuen has not yet been required to enter a plea and the case has been adjourned to April 14, after the prosecution applied to adjourn the case for eight weeks to allow more time for the police to examine the electronic devices seized from the defendant’s apartment in Sha Tin.

Yuen has retained his right to review his bail status every eight days, meaning he may review his bail position again on February 25.

National security police earlier said they have rounded up the singer on Tuesday on suspicion of sedition and money laundering.

Apart from published content since last September that incites hatred towards the government, the police and judges, Yuen was also accused to have smeared the government’s Covid policies, and singing a song that contains a banned protest slogan during an online concert.

Steve Li Kwai-wah, senior superintendent of the force’s national security department, said on Tuesday that alongside Yuen, a 20-year-old jobless man was also arrested for money laundering.

Li said that the two were relatives, with sources saying the younger suspect is Yuen's ex-wife's younger brother surnamed Wong. It was understood that Wong has been granted police bail pending further investigation.

Li also noted that the singer appealed to the public to donate money to support protesters and raised around HK$1 million.

Most of the money was spent by Yuen personally, Li said, including HK$150,000 for entertainment and HK$270,000 for gambling.