Singer Tommy Yuen Man-on has been sentenced to 26 months in jail for insulting Hong Kong’s police pressure and for laundering some $91,000 (HK$700,000) that he raised by way of crowdfunding.
The verdict was handed down Thursday by a Hong Kong District Court, which additionally confiscated the half of the proceeds that Yuen had not disposed of. The sentence was diminished from 39 months, as Yuen pleaded responsible.
More from Variety
Yuen is a former member of the now-disbanded Cantopop boy group E-kids. He has been held in jail since February final 12 months, awaiting trial.
The courtroom heard that Yuen had made seditious feedback on social media a few police officer who died within the line of obligation and a Justice of the Peace with a coronary heart situation.
It was additionally informed that Yuen raised the money by way of the sale of biscuits and by claiming that the proceeds would go to a girl charged with rioting within the territory’s 2019 pro-democracy protests. The girl turned out to be fictitious.
The choose, Ernest Michael Lin Kam-hung, stated that Yuen “had intended to paralyse society and promote Hong Kong independence” along with his remarks.
“The purpose of his messages was to reignite the dissatisfaction and anxiety in society that have already subsided,” stated Lin. “He did so for his own benefit at the expense of social harmony.”
In July 2020, the mainland Chinese authorities injected the National Security Law immediately into Hong Kong’s mini structure. It criminalized subversion, secession, terrorist acts and collusion with overseas powers. The legislation was extensively drawn and gave the police important new powers which have alarmed democrats, civil society and business companions. Hong Kong authorities say that the legislation has restored calm and stability to the territory.
Best of Variety
Sign up for Variety’s Newsletter. For the latest information, observe us on , , and .
