Court hears HK Alliance's mitigation

A Hong Kong court on Friday hears the mitigation submission of the dissolved Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China. The court earlier convicted former leaders Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung of inciting subversion, while Albert Ho pleaded guilty. Those convicted could face up to 10 years in prison.

The mitigation resumes at the West Kowloon Law Courts. Lee Cheuk-yan and Albert Ho's barrister, Erik Shum, presents a few mitigation factors for the three-judge panel to consider.

Shum states that the HK Alliance and its leaders only used peaceful methods to promote their ideals, unlike other cases that involved violence. He says the Alliance's "end one-party dictatorship" slogan is empty because the organisers did not formulate any plans or instructions for actual movements.

Judge Alex Lee asks the defence whether this case or the Hong Kong 47 case has greater gravity,Shum says the latter. He says no evidence suggests Hong Kong residents undermined the CCP in the past 30 years or so because of the Alliance's incitement,

and the CCP's rule remains stable.

Shum mentions the court agreed with the prosecution that the Alliance had breached China's Constitution. He says that's a new perspective, meaning ordinary people would not know they had broken the law. He hopes the court can consider that aspect when deciding on Lee and Ho's sentences.

Shum asks for a lower band sentence for his clients, that is, five years or below. Even if the court places them in the severe band, five to 10 years, he pleads for the lower end of that band.

Representing herself, Chow Hang-tung, the other convicted leader, says she does not think "they deserve to be jailed for a single day." Judge Alex Lee says her tone does not suggest she wants any mitigation. Chow says their voice cannot be silenced and instead, the world now takes notice of them thanks to the court. Lee asks, "Then shouldn't you thank us?" Chow agrees.

The court says it requires time to consider the mitigation and will hand down its sentence in two weeks.