Former lawmaker Shiu Ka-chun dies at 55 after cancer battle

Former lawmaker and pro-democracy activist Shiu Ka-chun died on Friday after a battle with stomach cancer. He was 55.

The news was confirmed by a number of politicians who took to social media to express their sadness and condolences over the death of Shiu.

Fermi Wong Wai-fun, former head of NGO Hong Kong Unison, said Shiu was certified dead at 12.41 am on Friday.

In November last year, Shiu said he underwent emergency surgery at Queen Elizabeth Hospital to remove half of his stomach due to stomach cancer, adding he had lost 15kg of weight as a result. He shared pictures of himself on a hospital bed praying before eating.

In early January, he said his condition had deteriorated, and had begun receiving palliative care.

Shiu was among the activists who called on protesters to occupy roads near the government headquarters during the Umbrella Movement in 2014, a 79-day pro-democracy civil disobedience campaign.

He was elected as a lawmaker in 2016 to represent the social welfare sector. He later founded Wall-fare, a prisoners’ rights support group helping those jailed over the 2019 protests and unrest. The group later disbanded in 2021.

Shiu had also picked up teaching duties at the Hong Kong Baptist University since 2007. However, the university did not renew his contract in 2020 after he finished serving his eight-month jail term in relation to the 2019 protests.