In July this year, the Council of the Student Union of the University of Hong Kong passed a motion to "memorialize" the suspects in the July 1 assassination. Four students from the University of Hong Kong were subsequently charged with crimes such as promoting terrorism.
Among them, three defendants Zhang Jingsheng, Guo Yonghao and Du Lin Chengheng applied to the High Court for bail approval in September this year.
The judge designated by the National Security Law, Du Libing, today (3rd) issued a sentence to explain the rationale.
Du Guan quoted a statement from the students of the University of Hong Kong, saying that after the motion was passed, it was withdrawn soon, and the student union also apologized publicly.
In addition, Chen Hongyi, a professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Hong Kong, wrote a letter stating that Zhang Jingsheng had understood the mistakes he had committed and regretted it.
Official Du believes that the three defendants were granted bail and will not continue to commit acts that endanger national security.
Judge Du Libing was in the judgment, quoting the statement of Senior Counsel Pan Xi who represented Zhang Jingsheng.
Pan Xi pointed out that Zhang Jingsheng is currently a third-year student at the University of Hong Kong, studying law, politics and public administration.
From middle school to university, Zhang is an outstanding student.
Zhang Jingsheng, Guo Yonghao and Du Lin Chengheng (from left to right) had been released on bail earlier, and the judge issued a reason to explain why.
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The student will soon withdraw the motion and apologize
Pan pointed out that Zhang had to remain impartial as the chairman of the Hong Kong University Student Council when the case was launched. Therefore, he did not vote in the meeting involved in the case and had no right to reject the motion.
In addition, after the motion involved in the case was passed, it was quickly withdrawn, and the Student Union also apologized.
Pan pointed out that this shows that Zhang is unlikely to repeat similar behaviors in the future.
Regulations specify that voluntary waiver of crime can mitigate punishment
In addition, in accordance with Article 33 of the "Minato National Security Law", in the course of a crime, a defendant or suspect who voluntarily renounces the crime or automatically and effectively prevents the occurrence of the crime can be mitigated.
Pan said that the withdrawal of the motion and the public apology constituted "abandonment of the crime."
The other two defendants have no contact with the student union
Hongyi Chen, a professor at the Faculty of Law of the University of Hong Kong, also stated in the letter that he believes that Zhang Jingsheng now understands the fault he and the members of the council have made, regrets it and sincerely apologizes.
As for Guo Yonghao and Du Lin Chengheng, the verdict stated that they both had excellent grades and were described by others as serious, responsible and caring for others.
In addition, they also stated that they had resigned from the council and had no contact with the student union.
The prosecution alleges that the defendant led the participants to observe the assassin's suspected murderer in silence
The prosecution's submission stated that when the three defendants were members of the council, they all advocated a hostile attitude towards the Chinese and Hong Kong governments.
The Department of Justice also stated that Zhang Jingsheng was not passive in the case.
At the beginning of the meeting involved in the case, he led the attendees to observe a minute of silence for the suspect in the assassination case.
The judge believed that under the bail conditions involved in the case, the defendant was granted bail and would not continue to commit acts endangering national security.
In addition, Rong Songxi, another defendant in the same case, was granted bail by the High Court earlier.
Case number: HCCP 446/2021
Hong Kong University students involved in promoting terrorism, Zhang Jingsheng and three others were released on bail in the evening. Hong Kong University students Rong Songxi released bail review case. Case arrested for words
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