Li Jiexin

Political Prisoner

LI JIEXIN 李解新

Age at Arrest: 69

Retired musician

Li Jiexin is a retired musician and busker who is known for playing Hong Kong’s pro-democracy anthem ‘Glory to Hong Kong’. Li was arrested on 15 May 2023 for the seven charges below, and pleaded not guilty to four counts of playing a musical instrument without a permit and three counts of collecting money in a public place without permission.

Charges, Incidents & sentence:

Charges: (1) Playing a musical instrument without permit,
(2) Playing a musical instrument without permit,
(3) Playing a musical instrument without permit,
(4) Collecting money in a public place without permission,
(5) Collecting money in a public place without permission,
(6) Collecting money in a public place without permission,
(7) Playing a musical instrument without permit
Incident: Li Jiexin was accused played the erhu with an amplifier without permission from the police chief outside Mong Kok East and Tai Wai metro stations on a footbridge outside of Central’s International Financial Centre on four occasions between 3 August 2021 and 29 September 2022. Li was also charged again after allegedly playing his erhu in public without a police permit at Tung Chung’s bus terminal. (SCMP)
Sentencing: 18 days’ imprisonment