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Fiona Chow

A Hong Kong court has sentenced a man with an intellectual disability to two years and four months in prison for inciting subversion, promoting a pro-Taiwan party and disseminating anti-Communist Party messages, with the judge noting that his condition had affected his moral judgment.
District Court Judge Stanley Chan Kwong-chi on Monday sentenced Chan Ho-hin, a 23-year-old waiter, who had earlier pleaded guilty to publishing 118 subversive messages on his social media accounts between June 27, 2024, and April 24, 2025.
The defendant repeatedly posted messages suggesting the Taiwanese government could “liberate” Hong Kong if it were to regain power in mainland China.
The posts advocated a revolution to overthrow the Communist Party and promoted Hong Kong independence, in violation of the national security law.
In April last year, the defendant also sought to disseminate his views offering to mail letters to like-minded individuals locally and attempting to send leaflets to Thailand to promote the Chinese Pro-Taiwan Anti-CCP Restoration Party, which is based on the self-ruled island.
Though he denied being a party member, evidence showed that the defendant had frequent exchanges with a person claiming to be Cheng Kai-li, the party’s secretary general.
The defendant said he supported the party’s manifesto and the unification of China under Taiwan’s government.
Defence counsel submitted that the defendant had been diagnosed with epilepsy and an intellectual disability, which impaired his judgment and ability to understand moral standards.

Judge Chan noted that the defendant had largely been “parroting” what he read online and was told by others.
“I sympathise with the defendant, who suffers from illnesses requiring long-term medication,” he said.
“To a certain extent, [his conditions] have affected his social life and ability to distinguish right from wrong.”
However, the judge emphasised that the defendant had nonetheless “flouted the law” by posting seditious material over a 10-month period with the intent of inciting others.
Taking the relatively lower gravity of the offence into account, the judge set a starting point of three years and six months’ imprisonment before reducing the sentence by one third to reflect the defendant’s timely guilty plea.


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News

Hong Kong

Law and Crime

Chan Ho-hin, 23, earlier pleaded guilty to publishing 118 subversive messages on his social media accounts


Chan Ho-hin, 23, earlier pleaded guilty to publishing 118 subversive messages on his social media accounts.


Mentally disabled Hong Kong waiter gets 28 months for inciting subversion

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Chan Ho-hin, 23, earlier pleaded guilty to publishing 118 subversive messages on his social media accounts

Chan Ho-hin, 23, earlier pleaded guilty to publishing 118 subversive messages on his social media accounts