Winnie Yu Wai-ming

Political Prisoner

Winnie Yu Wai-ming 余慧明

Age at Arrest: 34

Founder and former chairwoman, Hospital Authority Employees Alliance

*Currently in jail.

Winnie Yu Wai-ming is a nurse. Yu volunteered as a paramedic during the Occupy Central Movement, Mong Kok protest, the anti-extradition protests and a Covid-19 pandemic-related labour strike. During the 2019 anti-extradition protests, Yu founded and became the chairwoman of the Hospital Authority Employees Alliance, which called for a city-wide strike among hospital employees to place pressure on the government. Yu was also instrumental in organising a labour strike in February 2020 to demand full border closure in response to the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak in Hong Kong.

Yu was arrested in January 2021 for her participation in the “35+” unofficial primary elections in July 2020. Yu was again arrested on 7 March 2022 on suspicion of violating her bail conditions by making online comments that allegedly endangered national security. (Photo: Stand News)

Charge, incident & sentence:

Charge: Conspiracy to commit subversion under the National Security Law
Incident: Organising and participating in unofficial primary elections for the Hong Kong Legislative Council in July 2020
Sentencing: 6 years, 9 months’ imprisonment (HK F P)