"At twenty years old, Tony Chung is the youngest person to be sentenced under this draconian law. He will not be the last."

Today, Tony Chung, became the youngest person to be jailed under the National Security Law at the age of just twenty years old. Tony Chung received three years and seven months in jail after pleading guilty to charges of “secession” and “money-laundering” under the law.

The former student activist was arrested in October 2020 outside the US Consulate in Hong Kong, he was in the process of attempting to seek asylum. Tony Chung’s charges relate to a series of social media posts and the financial management of his student localist group.

On 3 November 2021, Tony Chung pled guilty to national security charges of “secession” and “money-laundering” as part of a plea deal, which ensured he would not face sentences for further charges relating to “publishing seditious materials” and another count of “money-laundering”.

Commenting on the jailing of Tony Chung, Johnny Patterson, Hong Kong Watch’s Policy Director, said:

“Tony Chung’s sentencing is disproportionate, draconian, and sets a dangerous precedent for other young Hong Kongers whose only crime is using social media to protest the dismantling of Hong Kong’s freedoms.

At twenty years old, Tony Chung is the youngest person to be sentenced under this draconian law. He will not be the last.

Tony Chung was arrested outside of the US Consulate attempting to seek asylum, as none of the existing lifeboat policies provide a way out for young people like him. It is vital that the UK rationalises its BNO visa policy to ensure those born after 1997 who have a BNO parent are able to register for the scheme, and that the USA considers passing safe harbor legislation to help frontline activists.”

「年僅20歲的鍾翰林成為在國安法下被判監禁的最年輕被告，而他不會是最後一人」

今天，年僅20歲的鍾翰林因「分裂國家」及「洗黑錢」兩罪被判監3年7個月，成為在國安法下被判監禁的最年輕被告。

鍾翰林是「學生動源」的前召集人，他在2020年10月在美國駐香港領事館外被捕，當時他正在試圖尋求庇護。 鍾翰林的起訴與他所屬的學生組織的一系列社交媒體帖文及財務管理有關。

2021年11月3日，鍾翰林承認一項「分裂國家罪」及一項「洗黑錢罪」，這是認罪協商的一部分，以確保他不用面對與「串謀發布煽動性刊物罪」和另一項洗黑錢罪相關的起訴。

在評論鍾翰林被判監禁時，香港監察政策總監Johnny Patterson表示︰

「鍾翰林的判刑是不成比例、而且嚴厲的，對於其他唯一的『罪行」只是使用社交媒體表達對香港的自由被剝奪的不滿的年輕香港人來說，今次的判刑樹立了危險的先例。 年僅20歲的鍾翰林是在嚴厲的國安法下被判監禁的最年輕被告，而他不會是最後一人。

鍾翰林在試圖尋求庇護時，在美國領事館外被捕，這是因為現有的救生艇政策未能為像他這樣的年輕人提供出路。至關重要的是英國將其BNO簽證政策合理化，確保在1997年後出生、且父母其中一方持有BNO的年輕人也能申請簽證計劃，美國亦應考慮通過安全港法案，幫助前線示威者。」