Eight activists detained after return

Eight of the 12 activists convicted of crossing into mainland waters illegally were sent back to Hong Kong and promptly detained overnight in six police stations.

They finished serving their seven-month sentences yesterday for illegally crossing into Shenzhen on their way to Taiwan last December.

Hong Kong police received the eight by batches from mainland authorities at the Shenzhen Bay Port, completing the return by 5pm.

Other than activist Andy Li Yu-hin, who was on police bail in Hong Kong, the seven others had been charged with various offenses and were on court bail pending trial when they fled on a speedboat last August.

Li, 30, was the first to return and was driven to Tin Shui Wai police station at around 10.30am. He was then sent to Yuen Long police station for custody.

On August 10, Li was arrested for allegedly colluding with foreign forces, breaching the national security law and money laundering.

Lawyer Chow Hang-tung, a spokesman of a concern group for the 12, said Li was interrogated without the presence of a legal representative yesterday.

"Li's lawyer attempted to find Li in a police station in the afternoon but was unable to see him. The reason given by police is that he is being interrogated and does not want to meet with the lawyer," Chow said.

She added the concern group and families were extremely disappointed with the handover arrangement as they were not informed about it. As of 6pm yesterday only one of the activists was able to phone his relatives.

"Why are police trying to hide the whole arrangement?" Chow said. "When they return to Hong Kong, they should have the right to meet with lawyers when being interrogated by the police and seeing their families."

Police said the eight were involved in six separate cases that happened in Hong Kong. Three of them - Cheung Chun-fu, Cheung Ming-yu and Yim Man-him - were involved in the same case and remanded in Tai Po police station. The trio, aged between 21 and 24, were arrested in Wan Chai on December 8 in 2019 and had been charged with conspiracy to shoot with intent to do grievous bodily harm.

Li Tsz-yin, 31, was first arrested in Admiralty on September 29, 2019 and had been charged with rioting and assaulting an officer before he fled. He was remanded in Sha Tin police station.

Wong Wai-yin, 30, has been remanded in Sheung Shui police station. He was arrested in Sheung Shui last January 16, 2020 and charged with making explosives before he fled. Kok Tsz-lung and Cheng Tsz-ho, both 19, were remanded in Tuen Mun and Tsuen Wan police stations, respectively. Kok was charged with rioting and possession of offensive weapons before he fled, while Cheng was charged with conspiracy to commit arson with intent.

"If they cannot be bailed that means they could be remanded until year 2023 [some of their cases could be listed to 2023] or even longer," the concern group's spokesman Chow said.

Sources said that aside from Andy Li's cases, the rest of the seven suspects' cases will be heard in court today. But they cannot attend the court in person for they need to be quarantined for 14 days.

Two others - Quinn Moon and Tang Kai-yin, convicted for organizing the illegal crossing - are still serving their prison terms in the mainland.

"We have received one letter from each of them but families were unable to contact them by phone yet. So we do urge the government to facilitate the family to make telephone phone contacts with them," Chow said.

Two others who were underage when they fled were sent back to Hong Kong last December and remain in Pik Uk Prison pending their trial for failing to surrender to custody.

maisy.mok@singtaonewscorp.com