The student was arrested upon her return to Hong Kong and has pleaded guilty to a count of “incitement to intention.”
According to media reports, the judge stated that the student, 23 years old, went to Japan to study in 2018. She had previously posted on social media advocating “Hong Kong independence” in Japanese, which could be read by people in Hong Kong who understood the language.
Although the defendant initially claimed ignorance of relevant laws, she did not delete the posts after her first charge of incitement. Considering the need for a deterrence, she was sentenced to two months in prison, the court judge said.
Between September 2018 and March 2023, the defendant engaged in one or more acts with the intent to stir troubles on social media platforms, posting and providing statements, photos, or images with the intent to provoke hatred or contempt toward the central or the SAR government, or to incite secession from them.
This also included inciting Hong Kong residents to attempt to bring about changes to matters in Hong Kong through unlawful means or to encourage others to disobey lawful orders.
Previously in July, a man was sentenced to three months in prison in HKSAR for replacing the national anthem with a song associated with the 2019 Hong Kong riots in a video showing a Hong Kong athlete was celebrating his victory at the Tokyo Olympics.
(Global Times)
