Security Law Suspect Helena Wong Granted Bail

The High Court on Thursday granted bail to former Democratic Party lawmaker Helena Wong, one of a group of 47 pan-democrats charged with subversion under the national security law.

She was ordered to pay cash bail of HK$200,000 and surrender all her travel documents.

Wong also needs to observe a curfew and report to a police station several times a week.

The former pro-democracy legislator is banned from making any speeches, contacting foreign officials or engaging in "acts that could violate the national security law".

“I am satisfied that, in this evaluation and predictive exercise, if granted bail, there are sufficient grounds to believe that the defendant will not continue acts that endanger national security,” appointed national security judge Madame Justice Esther Toh said.

The decision came as the High Court continued to deal with a challenge by prosecutors to a lower court’s decision to grant bail to 11 of the pro-democracy activists and politicians, including Wong.

Apart from the Democratic Party member, Toh was also holding a bail review hearing for Yuen Long district councillor Ng Kin-wai, while the rest of the nine defendants are expected to be dealt with in two groups, on March 13 and 15.

Earlier, Toh refused to lift reporting restrictions for the hearing, saying the integrity of the proceedings had to be protected.

The 47 pro-democracy figures are accused of conspiring to commit subversion by holding a primary vote for Legco elections that were later scrapped.

Prosecutors claim the group aimed to win a majority in Legco in order to paralyse the government.