Teen gets 18-month probation for ‘seditious’ toilet graffiti, marking rare non-custodial sentence for nat. sec offence
A Hong Kong man has been handed an 18-month probation order for writing “seditious words” in a Tsim Sha Tsui bathroom, marking a rare instance of a non-custodial sentence being handed down for a national security offence. Leung Kai-lok – who the defence said has autism – received the sentence at West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts […]
A 19-year-old Hong Kong man, diagnosed with autism, received an 18-month probation sentence for writing "seditious words" on the wall of a male bathroom in Tsim Sha Tsui. This marks a rare non-custodial sentence for a national security offence. The individual, Leung Kai-lok, scrawled "Bomb Lee Ka-chiu to death" and a shortened version of a protest slogan referring to the former chief executive, John Lee.
Magistrate Victor So stated that the influence of Leung's actions was limited due to the location, a bathroom. The defendant pleaded guilty to three counts of criminal damage and was also ordered to pay HK$1,500 in damages to the building owner. Sedition is an offence under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, with a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment. This is the first instance of a non-custodial sentence being handed down under the law.
Written by urgent.news from Hong Kong Free Press's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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