Hong Kong Watch condemns the remanding of pro-democracy activists Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow, and Ivan Lam in custody on unlawful assembly charges

Today pro-democracy activists Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow, and Ivan Lam were in court facing charges of unlawful assembly related to last year’s anti-Extradition Bill protests.

The three activists changed their plea to guilty of the charges and have been remanded in police custody until 2nd December, with the expectation that they could face at least up to five years in prison for unlawful assembly.

Commenting on the detention of the three pro-democracy activists and their pending sentencing, Benedict Rogers, Hong Kong Watch’s Chief Executive said:

“It is a sad day for Hong Kong when the leading lights of the pro-democracy movement face the prospect of long jail sentences for daring to organise peaceful protests against the Extradition Bill last year.

The detention of Joshua Wong, Agnes Chow, and Ivan Lam is a further example of the dismantling of Hong Kong’s autonomy, freedoms, and democracy by Beijing in direct contravention to its international obligations under the Sino-British Joint Declaration and the Basic Law.

Hong Kong Watch condemns this latest move by the Chinese Communist Party to punish free expression and silence dissent, and calls for likeminded countries to respond with coordinated action including targeted Magnitsky sanctions across the Five Eyes countries.”