A security guard was sentenced on Monday to two months in jail, suspended for three years, for posting online comments supporting blank votes during last year's Legislative Council (LegCo) election.
The defendant, Lam Ramirez Kuk-wai, 38, faced one count of engaging in illegal conduct by publicly inciting others to cast invalid vote by activity in public during election period.
The court heard that Lam posted three comments using the account name "Steve Lam" under a media outlet's social media post dated October 28, 2025.
The post was a news report covering a caveat issued by Secretary for Security Chris Tang Ping-keung, who warned that inciting others not to vote or to cast blank votes in the election constitutes a criminal offense.
Lam's comments included, "Cast blank votes, don't register as voters," and, "It's actually fine not to vote. It makes no difference whether you vote or not now."
It is understood that the post and comments remained publicly visible until December 4 throughout the election period between October 24 and December 7, 2025.
Under police caution, Lam admitted owning the account and stated he had posted the comments simply to express his views to the public.
Appearing at the West Kowloon Magistrates' Courts, Lam pleaded guilty, with his defense attorney pleading for leniency, arguing that Lam had not fully understood the potential legal impact of his online remarks.
Citing positive character references from friends and colleagues, the defense sought a non-custodial sentence, noting that Lam had stopped using Facebook and that the criminal case had already cost him his job.
In sentencing, Principal Magistrate Don So Man-lung noted that similar offenses generally warrant immediate custodial sentences to protect the integrity of the electoral system.
However, the magistrate took into account that Lam was a first-time offender with a clean criminal record and that the offending period was relatively short.
He subsequently ordered a two-month prison term, suspended for three years.
