Veteran democrat Albert Ho arrested in security case

Former Democratic Party chairman Albert Ho Chun-yan has been arrested by national security police on suspicion of interfering with a witness while on bail.

Ho, sources said, had allegedly reached out to family members of a jailed witness for the primary election trial and asked them to pass his message to the witness.

Ho, a 71-year-old ex-opposition lawmaker and former vice chairman of the defunct Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, was arrested yesterday at his flat at Fly Dragon Terrace in Tin Hau for perverting the course of justice.

He was taken away handcuffed by national security officers in plain clothes at around 11am and was detained at the North Point police station for investigation.

Forty-seven activists and politicians were charged with conspiracy to subvert state powers under the national security law over their organization and participation in a primary election in 2020.

They allegedly planned to secure more than half of the seats at the Legislative Council with a view to reject all budget and financial proposals, which would force then-chief executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor to dissolve Legco, paralyzing the government and forcing Lam to resign.

Sources said law firm Ho Tse Wai & Partners, which Ho cofounded, is representing nine defendants in the primary election cases.

The defendants include Benny Tai Yiu-ting, Helena Wong Pik-wan, Joshua Wong Chi-fung, Tam Tak-chi, Wu Chi-wai, Prince Wong Ji-yuet, Lam Cheuk-ting, Henry Wong Pak-yu and Owen Chow Ka-shing.

Ho was charged with inciting subversion over his role in the alliance in September 2021 and released on a bail of HK$700,000 in cash and HK$400,000 in surety for health reasons last August.

He was banned from leaving Hong Kong and had to surrender his travel documents. He also has to obey a curfew and report to police three times a week.

Ho was banned from making speeches or engaging in behavior that may be regarded as violating or endangering the national security law. He must not contact any foreign officials.

Ho was jailed for 18 months in May 2021 over illegal assembly cases and finished serving the term.

Ho reportedly often met Democratic Party members while he was out on bail, including former party chairs Martin Lee Chu-ming and Emily Lau Wai-hing.

Lau was found to have attended the hearings of the primary election case and was also accused of giving the tickets to the public gallery to foreign diplomats.

Ho's former partymates, alliance chairman Lee Cheuk-yan and vice chairwoman Tonyee Chow Hang-tung, were also charged with inciting subversion and both were remanded in custody.

Lee's wife, Elizabeth Tang Yin-ngor, 65, was arrested by national security police for collusion with foreign forces outside Stanley Prison after visiting him earlier this month. Tang, former chief executive of the disbanded Confederation of Trade Unions, was released on bail.

But Tang's younger sister and Ho's younger brother were arrested for conspiracy to pervert the course of justice as they allegedly destroyed evidence at Tang's flat. They were also released on bail.

wallis.wang@singtaonewscorp.com