Former Hong Kong lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan has denied abetting criminal activity by supporting mainland Chinese dissidents, accusing Beijing of false charges against them. He claimed those backed by his alliance should not have been seen as violating mainland law.
A former Hong Kong lawmaker, Lee Cheuk-yan, is on trial at West Kowloon Court for allegedly inciting subversion. On Wednesday, he denied abetting criminal activity by supporting mainland Chinese dissidents, accusing Beijing of levelling false charges against them. Lee stated that those backed by his now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China should not have been considered as violating mainland law in the first place. Prosecutors challenged his claim that he had no intention to incite others to overthrow the mainland’s communist rule when he called for an end to “one-party dictatorship” as the alliance’s former chairman. The defendants face up to 10 years in jail if convicted.
