Hong Kong youth Ada (pseudonym), who is around 20 years old, was arrested in the 2019 anti-amendment turmoil. He was later charged with illegal assembly and sentenced to many months in prison.
However, before sentencing, the legal process of bail pending trial, evidence collection and defense took a long two years and five months.
During this period, Ada faced the unknown and was under great psychological pressure. Fortunately, he was referred by a friend, and contacted the "Transformation Project" project led by the famous Hong Kong economist Song Enrong and his wife Song Chen Baolian, and received free legal support and emotional counseling.
After being released from prison, he returned to school and looked for a part-time job, but he interviewed for five companies in a row, all of which were rejected due to the criminal record.
Later, with the help of the "Transformation Project", Ada was finally offered an olive branch by an enlightened employer.
However, among the tens of thousands of young people arrested in connection with the turmoil against the amendments, there are still thousands of people who have not been prosecuted, and still face the psychological burden of being prosecuted at any time. It is difficult to plan for the future.
The "Transformation Plan" has so far served 206 young people involved in the case and their relatives and friends. Recently, the Chief Executive Li Jiachao has put forward four proposals to urge him to implement it in the first "Chief Executive Report", including the government's encouragement of professional organizations to process professional qualification applications according to the specific situation of the rehabilitated youth, punishment The Education Department provides appropriate courses for highly educated inmates to help young people regain hope.
Convicted youth feels that it is difficult to study due to lack of academic books in prison
Due to the large number of anti-amendment cases, the processing progress has been very slow. In the past year, the number of new prosecutions has only exceeded 200, accounting for 2% of the total number of arrests, and thousands of people are still waiting anxiously.
Among them, the young Axi (pseudonym) was also charged with illegal assembly earlier. He even waited two years and nine months before being sentenced. Now he was released from prison and returned to school. "Transformation Plan" psychological support to overcome difficulties.
Ah Xi also has friends who have not been prosecuted after being arrested, and their future is still uncertain. There are very few academic (academic) books.” Some inmates want to make time to learn foreign languages but lack sufficient resources.
The youth found it difficult to plan a way out after serving his sentence.
Ada plans to work professionally in Hong Kong in the future, but the law stipulates that if he is imprisoned for more than three months, he will not be "washed", including Ada's situation.
He worries that if the society rejects all young people with criminal records, it may be difficult for him to fulfill his own ambitions.
Axi (pseudonym) (left) and Ada (pseudonym) (right), arrested in the anti-amendment turmoil, were imprisoned for several months on charges of illegal assembly, and had to wait for more than two years before being sentenced.
(Photo by Liu Mengting)
More than 10,000 students were arrested for opposing the amendment, accounting for 40%, only 30% have been prosecuted
The "Transformation Plan" was launched by Song Enrong and his wife in mid-2020. It gathers enthusiastic professionals such as scholars, lawyers, and psychological counselors, mainly to provide free emotional counseling and legal support for arrested youths under the age of 25, and to help them recover after serving their sentences. Invest in the workplace or campus, and plan your life.
The project has served 246 people so far, including 106 young people involved in the case and 140 family members and friends of the young people involved in the case.
According to the latest police statistics, from June 9, 2019 to August 31 this year, a total of 10,279 people were arrested during demonstrations in various districts, of which 4,010 were students, and only 1,167 students were prosecuted; and 1,754 minors were arrested , of which 517 were prosecuted.
▼Some pictures of the 2019 anti-amendment bill ▼
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In the face of such a number, Song Enrong, deputy director of the "Transformation Plan" and deputy director of the Economic Research Center of CUHK, said that "one person can be saved," but private power is always limited.
The founder of the "Transformation Plan" and Honorary Associate Professor of the Hong Kong Institute of Economics and Business Strategy of the University of Hong Kong, Song Chen Baolian, is looking forward to the first "Policy Address" by Chief Executive Li Jiachao "Don't forget about the young people".
Scholars put forward four proposals, hoping that the government will take the lead to ease the social atmosphere
In his speech on July 1, President Xi Jinping mentioned that "we earnestly hope that every young person in Hong Kong will join the ranks of building a beautiful Hong Kong".
Song Enrong quoted this sentence and emphasized that many young people arrested for opposing the amendment have no criminal records, even higher education and outstanding talents; Hong Kong society is aging, and all walks of life should put aside their prejudice and accept these young people to save Hong Kong's brain drain.
Therefore, the "Transformation Plan" proposes four initiatives, hoping that the government will pay attention to the needs of the arrested youth at all stages, take the lead in softening the social atmosphere and changing the prejudice of all walks of life, including:
1. Set a dead line for terminating the investigation for those arrested who do not have sufficient evidence to prosecute. If there is still no sufficient evidence after the dead line, the investigation will be terminated and the arrested person will be released;
2. Provide appropriate courses for those inmates with higher educational backgrounds who are against the amendments to meet the quota and opportunities for taking the DSE Diploma of Secondary Education examination in correctional institutions;
3. Young men under the age of 25 should be sentenced to re-education through labor centers as much as possible, the term of imprisonment in adult prisons for young women should be shortened as much as possible, and male and female correctional institutions should be treated equally in the long run;
Four: It is suggested that the government encourage professional groups to examine the specific character and integrity of rehabilitated youths, so that some youths with criminal records can still apply for professional qualifications or licenses in finance, insurance, accounting, law, and medical care.
China Youth Affairs Bureau: Formulating a "Blueprint for Youth Development" to respond to the needs of young people from different backgrounds
The Home and Youth Affairs Bureau replied that the government has always attached great importance to youth development.
Regardless of the background and experience of young people, the government cares about their positive development and hopes to nurture them into a new generation who loves the country and Hong Kong, has a world vision and professional skills, is active in lifelong learning, and has a positive mindset.
The spokesman said that the Home Affairs and Youth Affairs Bureau is coordinating relevant policy bureaus to formulate the "Blueprint for Youth Development", which is an important document formulated by the Hong Kong government for the first time to promote youth development. and key areas of work, as well as future work plans and action measures of relevant policy bureaus, in order to respond to the needs of young people from different backgrounds, so that they can see the light and hope.
Correctional Services Department and individual tertiary institutions prepare to assist inmates to pursue degree programmes
The Correctional Services Department replied that the department is preparing to sign a memorandum of cooperation with individual tertiary institutions to strengthen support for inmates to continue their unfinished degree courses or transfer credits to other courses while in prison.
The department has also actively discussed with various institutions of higher education to reserve places for inmates so that they can continue their studies after their release.
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