2 men with autism jailed for 3 years over joining a Taiwan group that advocated independence for Hong Kong

Two young men, Chan Tai-sum, 27, and Ng Chi-tung, 25, have been sentenced to 38 and 36 months in prison respectively for their involvement in a Taiwan-based group that advocated for Hong Kong's independence. The court heard that both men, who have autism, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit secession in July of this year. According to the defense, both men joined the Hong Kong Democratic Independence Union, a group founded by a self-exiled Hongkonger to promote Hong Kong's secession from China, in order to seek political asylum.

Chan claimed he joined to attract foreign forces at the expense of Hong Kong's stability, while Ng said he joined out of curiosity. The judge, Ernest Lin, noted that their actions had a negative impact on Hong Kong's stability and noted that Chan had a prior conviction for sedition. The pair were arrested in July last year and found to have communicated with other group members via the messaging app Line.

Police also found chat logs and draft materials on their devices supporting the group's goals. If convicted, the maximum penalty for secession under the Beijing-imposed national security law in Hong Kong is life imprisonment.