High Court Gives Mixed Decisions In Bail Hearings

A High Court judge on Monday remanded district councillor Sam Cheung in custody, after the government successfully challenged a magistrate’s decision to grant him bail, while three others were freed on bail.

They are among 47 pro-democracy figures charged with subversion under the national security law.

Cheung appeared calm upon hearing the bail decision, and waved to supporters and his pregnant wife in the courtroom.

Madam Justice Esther Toh decided to release three other defendants – district councillors Kalvin Ho, Sze Tak-loy and Lee Yue-shun.

Ho was freed on a cash bail of HK$30,000 and a HK$100,000 surety, while Sze and Lee were each on a HK$100,000 cash bail and a surety of HK$100,000.

The trio were ordered to surrender all travel documents, report to the police regularly, observe a curfew and not make any speeches or do anything that could be viewed as violating the national security law.

The national security suspects are accused of conspiracy to commit subversion after taking part in primary polls ahead of Legco elections that the government abandoned, citing the pandemic.

Chief Magistrate Victor So had on March 4 granted bail to 15 of the 47 defendants, but they were all remanded in custody after the Department of Justice declared that it would be appealing.

Eleven of those 15 have since been freed on bail, including former Democratic Party lawmaker Helena Wong and district councillor Clarisse Yeung.

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