Court Case Clash Delays Trial Of Pan-dems

The District Court on Monday adjourned the trial of seven pro-democracy figures over a 2019 protest after the hearing clashed with a national security case involving one of the defendants.

Media tycoon Jimmy Lai and former lawmakers Martin Lee, Margaret Ng, Lee Cheuk-yan, Albert Ho, Cyd Ho and Leung Kwok-hung are accused of organising and joining an unauthorised assembly on August 18, 2019.

But Leung is also among the 47 pro-democracy activists and politicians charged with subversion over last year's primary polls and was already appearing before West Kowloon Magistracy.

His lawyer, Hectar Pun, informed the District Court that his client couldn't make it, and said Leung believed it would not be fair for the case to proceed without him.

Pun added that Leung was “very confused” after being charged on Sunday, is on medication, and didn't sleep while being held in custody overnight.

The lawyer also suggested that he had not had time to properly consult his client.

Judge Amanda Woodcock granted two breaks for Pun to take instructions, but both times the lawyer came back and said he had not been able to speak to Leung, even though the national security case was being heard in the same building.

Woodcock eventually decided that it would be inappropriate to continue without Leung and adjourned the trial until March 5.