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Brian Wong

A 16-year-old boy has admitted joining a Taiwan-based political group to seek Hong Kong’s independence in breach of the national security law.
The Form Three student pleaded guilty on Friday to conspiracy to commit secession between November 2024 and July this year for his role as secretary of the Hong Kong Democratic Independence Union.
The District Court heard that the union, founded by fugitive activist Alan Keung Ka-wai, advocated Hong Kong’s “liberation” from mainland Chinese rule, sought international recognition for a self-proclaimed “Hong Kong Parliament” and supported the establishment of an army to “restore and defend” the city.
Some of the party’s members were sworn in as so-called members of parliament after an election earlier this year, with Keung serving as the pseudo-legislature’s chairman.
On the day of the union’s founding on November 6 last year, the boy approached Keung via WhatsApp expressing his interest in joining the group and saying he could help with his analytical and public speaking skills.
Text conversations retrieved from the student’s mobile phone show that he had advised on the union’s name and emblem design, as well as drafting its constitution and meeting agendas.
The defendant had also distributed the party’s promotional materials online and discussed with fellow members how to drum up anti-communist sentiments abroad, establish diplomatic ties with Taiwan and “settle the score” with mainland investments in Hong Kong after the city achieved independence.
A prosecution summary of the case highlighted the group’s illegal activities included social media posts promoting the self-styled parliament’s election and a flash-mob protest in Taiwan calling for Hong Kong’s independence.
National security police first arrested the boy in March this year on suspicion of sedition.
Under caution, he admitted publishing posters calling for support for the union in the so-called parliament’s election, but insisted that he disagreed with their content and that he only wanted to trigger online discussions on the subjects.
The student remained silent when he was rearrested in July.
On Friday, defence counsel David Ma Wai-kwan urged the court to consider sentencing his client to a period of detention at a juvenile facility, saying the boy had become inactive in the union since his first arrest.
But Judge Ernest Michael Lin Kam-hung said his options would be limited if he decided that the boy was an active participant in the conspiracy, which would warrant a minimum jail term of three years under the national security law’s three-tier sentencing regime.
Ma highlighted the student’s naivety and questioned whether it was right to assess his role in the scheme simply based on his unrealistic proposals for the party.
The court adjourned sentencing until November 27. The boy, who was previously granted anonymity due to his young age, remains detained at the Tuen Mun Children and Juvenile Home.
Two other defendants – courier Chan Tai-sum, 26, and waiter Ng Chi-tung, 25 – have yet to indicate their pleas on the same conspiracy charge. A pretrial hearing was scheduled for the pair at the District Court on the same day.


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News

Hong Kong

Law and Crime

Form Three pupil has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit secession for role in group founded by fugitive activist


Form Three pupil has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit secession for role in group founded by fugitive activist.


Hong Kong national security law (NSL)

Hong Kong localism and independence

China

Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong

Hong Kong boy, 16, admits joining pro-independence group based in Taiwan

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Form Three pupil has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit secession for role in group founded by fugitive activist

Form Three pupil has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit secession for role in group founded by fugitive activist