Retiree gets 16 months in jail for online threats against Carrie Lam

Wallis Wang

A 64-year-old retired man, Pun Tak-shu, was yesterday sentenced to 16 months in prison for discussing methods to kill former chief executive Carrie Lam Cheng Yuet-ngor on social media.

In February 2020, Pun was convicted of inciting others to inflict grievous bodily harm through a social media post that outlined ways to harm Lam.

During the sentencing, District Court Judge Stanley Chan Kwong-chi criticized Pun for exacerbating social tensions with his remarks.

He said Pun's post targeted Lam specifically, a figure representing public authority in Hong Kong, rather than an ordinary citizen.

Chan noted the political climate in the region at the time, saying: "The post would incite further discussion and contemplation of such violent plans."

In his mitigation letter, Pun claimed he intended to make a joke and did not anticipate the severe consequences of his post.

However, Chan condemned him for showing a lack of remorse. He said Pun had commented that "we should get a pistol, a rifle, and 50 bullets," and questioned whether he had considered the implications of such rhetoric, particularly in light of the radical protest group Dragon Slaying Brigade, which had undergone military training in Taiwan.

Chan touched on the broader impact of the political atmosphere, noting that many individuals were influenced by the turbulence of that period.

Although letters from Pun's family and friends portrayed him as a good-natured person, Chan emphasized how people can change under political pressures. He referenced the experiences of teenagers, previously seen as innocent, who turned against the government due to external influences.

Reflecting on the protests and social unrest of 2019, Chan described that period as a "painful history with bloodstains."

In defense, Pun's legal team argued that his comments were made during the Covid-19 pandemic, not during the height of the protests.

They also noted that Pun agreed to delete the post upon his arrest and contended that it had a limited impact on the public.

Also, the defense revealed that Pun had been hospitalized twice this year due to health issues, including blood clots and lung problems, and requested a more lenient sentence based on his medical condition.

wallis.wang@singtaonewscorp.com