Hong Kong Resident Sentenced Over ‘Seditious’ T-Shirt Amid Rising Tensions

In a landmark case under Hong Kong’s new national security law, 27-year-old Chu Kai-pong has been sentenced to 14 months in prison after pleading guilty to sedition. His offense? Wearing a T-shirt emblazoned with the protest slogan “Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times.” This is the first jail term issued by the city’s courts under the expanded local law, known as Article 23, passed in March.

The controversial law builds on the national security legislation imposed by Beijing in 2020, which has faced widespread criticism. Civil rights advocates worry that this law will continue to erode freedoms in the city, while officials in Beijing and Hong Kong argue it is vital for maintaining stability.

Chu was arrested on June 12 at a subway station, the same date that marks a key anniversary of the large-scale 2019 protests, during which hundreds of thousands took to the streets. Along with his T-shirt, Chu wore a mask with the initials “FDNOL,” standing for the protest slogan “Five demands, not one less.” Both slogans became symbols of the pro-democracy movement during the 2019 demonstrations. Local media also reported that Chu was carrying a box of excrement, allegedly meant to be used against those who opposed his views.

The court heard that Chu’s intention was to remind the public of the 2019 protests. This is not the first time he has faced charges; in a prior incident, Chu served a three-month sentence for wearing a similar T-shirt and possessing other offensive items.

During sentencing, Chief Magistrate Victor So, who was specifically appointed by the government to oversee national security cases, remarked that Chu showed “no remorse” for his previous conviction and intended to “reignite the ideas” behind the protests. The 14-month sentence, So explained, reflects the seriousness of the sedition charge.

The case has drawn sharp criticism from human rights groups. Sarah Brooks, Amnesty International’s China director, condemned the ruling, describing it as a “blatant attack on the right to freedom of expression.” Brooks further called for the immediate repeal of Article 23, which critics believe could lead to further crackdowns on civil liberties.

This sentencing comes in the wake of another pivotal case last month, when two journalists from the pro-democracy newspaper Stand News were found guilty of sedition—the first such case against journalists in Hong Kong since the city’s handover from Britain to China in 1997.