• ABOUT
  • ADVERTISE
  • SUPPORT
  • CONTACT
  • WORK
Friday, February 22, 2019
Shanghaiist
8 °c
Shanghai
7 ° Sat
6 ° Sun
6 ° Mon
5 ° Tue
5 ° Wed
9 ° Thu
  • NEWS

    Taiwan finally proposes Asia’s first draft law on gay marriage

    Trump praises China’s use of death penalty for drug dealers, implies that the US should follow suit

    Chinese billionaire calls Australia a “giant baby” after having his permanent residency revoked

    Air NZ flight to Shanghai was forced to turn back because of Taiwan reference in paperwork

    China releases video of Uighur musician to show he wasn’t tortured to death in re-education camp

    On mock cooking show, Taiwan premier trolls China with Winnie the Pooh doll

    China does even worse than usual in latest global freedom ranking

    “Exploitation.” Awkward translation faux pas spotted at China-Africa friendship event

    US hits Huawei with 23 criminal indictments for violating Iran sanctions, stealing trade secrets

    Canada’s ambassador to China fired after making more controversial comments about Meng Wanzhou case

    George Soros calls Xi Jinping the world’s “most dangerous opponent” to open societies

    Bing is back! Microsoft’s search engine is no longer blocked in China

    Chinese meat giant’s stocks surge after founder returns home following 3-year “disappearance”

    Canada’s ambassador to China says Meng Wanzhou has a “strong case” for fighting extradition

    China has blocked Bing

    Chinese-Australian writer Yang Hengjun detained in China

    McDonald’s accused of supporting Taiwan independence with “controversial” commercial

    Massive sky corridor connected atop four skyscrapers in Chongqing

    Huawei founder says his company does not spy for China and would refuse if Beijing asked

    China issues travel alert of its own, warning its citizens about visiting Canada

  • L!FE
  • FOOD
  • GALLERY
  • VIDEO

    WATCH: Dad spotted driving on snowy road, pulling son behind in tire sled

    This is what a ¥10,000 seafood dinner looks like in Guangzhou

    WATCH: Heroic firefighter drags burning gas cylinder out of house

    WATCH: How to run a tea scam at Starbucks

    WATCH: Dude writes Chinese calligraphy on stone with power grinder

    WATCH: Rodrigo Duterte, Kim Jong-un impersonators mobbed in Hong Kong

    WATCH: Incredible synchronized performance from Shaolin students at this year’s Spring Festival Gala

    WATCH: Aerial footage of massive 5 km long traffic jam on Guangdong expressway during CNY rush

    PLA soldiers celebrate Chinese New Year by forming the shape of Peppa the Pig

    Photography Friday: An interview with Huang Xiaoliang

    Hangzhou hotel opens up hot pot-style hot spring for hungry guests

    Boy puts lit fireworks down manhole cover, blows up sidewalk

    Meet the kids who grew up in Chinese restaurants

    WATCH: Apple marks Chinese New Year with short, sweet film shot by Jia Zhangke on an iPhone XS

    Chinese internet falls in love with big fluffy emotional support dog on passenger plane

    WATCH: Bull escapes slaughterhouse, charges woman in restaurant

    WATCH: Aerial footage of Wuhan’s mindblowingly massive bullet train maintenance center

    WATCH: Shanxi principal replaces boring morning exercise routine with super cool dance moves

    WATCH: Laowai rents a Chinese dad

    WATCH: Chinese passersby get asked if they live in a democratic country

  • EVENTS
    • DINING
      • BRUNCH
      • AFTERNOON TEA
    • NIGHTLIFE
      • LADIES’ NIGHT
      • HAPPY HOUR
      • MUSIC
    • EXHIBITIONS
      • ART SHOWS
      • TRADE FAIRS
    • COMMUNITY
    • EDUCATION
    • ★ LIST YOUR EVENT
    • ★ BE A VENUE PARTNER
    • ★ SUBMIT A GALLERY
  • TICKETS
    • FAQ
No Result
View All Result
Shanghaiist
No Result
View All Result
Shanghaiist
No Result
View All Result

Joshua Wong says he expects to be sent to prison, but has no regrets as he awaits sentencing

by Reuters
May 5, 2018
in News

joshua_wong47.jpg
HONG KONG (AFP) – A defiant Joshua Wong, who became the face of Hong Kong’s huge Umbrella Movement, said Wednesday he had no regrets as he prepared for a possible prison sentence for his leading role in the mass pro-democracy protests.
But the student activist said he felt “guilty and sorry” for what he described as the burden he has put upon his family, a day ahead of a court ruling that could see him and two other prominent young activists jailed.
Wong and other pro-democracy supporters say the case is more proof that Beijing is tightening its grip on semi-autonomous Hong Kong, which enjoys much greater freedoms than on the mainland.
Those rights are guaranteed in the agreement made when Britain handed Hong Kong back to China in 1997, but there are growing concerns Beijing is trampling the deal.
“I expect to pay the price, to be sent to prison,” university student Wong, 20, told AFP.
“However, I have no regret at all. What we have done already proves that Hong Kong people will continue to show determination in the frontline against authoritarian rule.”
occupy-central-anniversary-1.jpg
Umbrella Movement leaders Wong, Nathan Law and Alex Chow were found guilty last year on unlawful assembly charges for storming a government forecourt as part of an anti-Beijing protest in 2014.
That protest sparked the months-long rallies which brought parts of Hong Kong to a standstill calling for fully free leadership elections, an unprecedented rebuke to Beijing.
Wong and Law received community sentences and Chow a three-week suspended sentence at magistrates’ court last August.
But Hong Kong’s justice department is seeking to overturn those terms, with prosecutors arguing they should receive harsher punishment.

‘Fighting for justice’

Inciting or taking part in unlawful assembly carries a maximum sentence of five years, but Chow, 26, said he was not scared.
“When we are willing to sacrifice what we have, there is nothing to fear,” he told AFP.
While Wong also says he is mentally prepared, he worries about what he has put his loved ones through.
“I feel guilty and sorry towards my family,” he told AFP.
“They have brought me up and spent a lot of money, letting me take part in social movements but only to be sent to prison in the end. I said I would keep up my studies in prison,” he said.
There have been a raft of cases brought against participants in the largely peaceful Umbrella Movement, but only one prominent activist has ever been jailed.
The High Court judge at Thursday’s sentencing review hearing can deliver an immediately effective prison term.
The defendants say they are pessimistic after 13 environmental activists saw their community service sentences over demonstrations outside parliament upped to jail terms earlier this week following a request from the department of justice.
joshua_wong_thailandfront.jpg
Wong says if the judge in his case hands down a harsher penalty Thursday, it would make it harder for young activists to enter politics.
He will turn 21 in October and has said publicly he intends to run for parliament.
However, if he is jailed for more than three months Thursday he will be barred from elections for the next five years.
Wong said the department of justice had “overlooked” the fact that Umbrella Movement protest leaders had insisted on the principle of non-violence.
“We are fighting for justice, not for personal interests,” he added.
“I will continue with the spirit of the Umbrella Movement to fight for democracy, even if tomorrow I am in jail.”
(Elaine Yu/AFP)


events-banner.jpg


Shanghaiist-Travel.jpg

everyday-chinese-banner.jpg

Follow Shanghaiist on WeChat

qrcode-shanghaiist.jpg

Share this:

  • Pocket
  • Telegram
  • Print
Shanghaiist

© 2005-2018 Shanghaiist - China in bite-sized portions!

Navigate Site

  • About
  • Advertise
  • Join the Community
  • List Your Event
  • Be a Venue Partner
  • Submit a Gallery
  • Work with us
  • Privacy & Terms
  • Contact

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • NEWS
  • L!FE
  • FOOD
  • GALLERY
  • VIDEO
  • EVENTS
    • DINING
      • BRUNCH
      • AFTERNOON TEA
    • NIGHTLIFE
      • LADIES’ NIGHT
      • HAPPY HOUR
      • MUSIC
    • EXHIBITIONS
      • ART SHOWS
      • TRADE FAIRS
    • COMMUNITY
    • EDUCATION
    • ★ LIST YOUR EVENT
    • ★ BE A VENUE PARTNER
    • ★ SUBMIT A GALLERY
  • TICKETS
    • FAQ

© 2005-2018 Shanghaiist - China in bite-sized portions!