Man found guilty of inciting others to kill Carrie Lam

The District Court on Wednesday found a man guilty of publishing remarks online that incited others to kill then-Chief Executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor.

Pun Tak-shu, 63, was convicted of one count of inciting others to do grievous bodily harm with intent. The court previously heard that he published remarks on social media in February 2020 discussing ways to kill Lam.

He will be remanded until his next court appearance on October 7 for sentencing.

The defense argued in court today that the ideas presented by Pun were impossible to achieve, yet judge Stanley Chan Kwong-chi said Pun had underestimated the impact of his social media post, being aware of the social unrest and riots in 2019 and 2020.

Chan noted that Pun's Facebook account had over 700 friends, adding that the ensuing discussion in the comments section extended the intent to harm the then-Chief Executive. 

He said Pun’s replies to his post contained derogatory and curse-laden remarks and that his explanation oversimplified the function and impact of online platforms.

Meanwhile, the judge pointed out that in political reality, there is no absolute freedom of speech in the world, while any radical actions could no longer be considered impossible given the social atmosphere at the material time of the offense.

The crimes incited by the defendant were illegal and malicious, intending harm to the then-Chief Executive, which Chan believed was Pun’s genuine wish.