Six Hong Kong men who tried to flee to Taiwan plead guilty to perverting course of justice

14 July 2022
By: Kelly Ho

Six of the 12 Hong Kong activists captured by the Chinese coastguard in August 2020 while trying to flee to Taiwan by speedboat have pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice.

The six aged between 19 and 25 admitted obstructing a criminal investigation and prosecution by joining a plan to abscond to Taiwan on August 23, 2020, while they were facing charges linked to the 2019 anti-extradition bill unrest.

The six, who may be sentenced on Friday, have already served prison time in mainland China.

Defendants Liu Tsz-man, 19, Cheng Tsz-ho, 20, Cheung Chun-fu, 25, Cheung Ming-yu, 23, Yim Man-him, 23 and Kok Tsz-lun, 21, were among eight people jailed for seven months on the mainland in December 2020 for crossing the border illegally.

Other individuals on the speedboat included activist Andy Li, who was then under investigation for an alleged conspiracy involving pro-democracy media tycoon Jimmy Lai to request foreign sanctions on Hong Kong and Chinese officials. He is currently held in custody pending sentencing, after he pleaded guilty to the foreign collusion offence under the Beijing-imposed national security law.

Another two fugitives, Tang Kai-yin and Quinn Moon, who were convicted of organising the illegal crossing, are still in prison on the mainland after a court there imposed heavier sentences of three and two years, respectively.

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