Tony Chung, a former leader of student activist group “Studentlocalism”, has been charged with secession, money laundering and conspiracy to publish seditious material under Hong Kong’s national security law.
Chung, who is 19 years old, was detained opposite Hong Kong’s United States consulate, where he was reportedly attempting to seek asylum on 27 October 2020. The teenager was denied bail after his court appearance on 29 October, with a second appearance set for 7 January. If found guilty, the student faces life imprisonment.
Studentlocalism, a pro-independence student activist group that has now disbanded its Hong Kong division, was accused of publishing social media posts that supported the separation of Hong Kong from China. Fellow former members William Chan and Yanni Ho were also arrested separately on the same day. Chan and Ho, alongside Chung, were previously arrested for inciting secession in July, days after the introduction of the national security law.
