Third Hongkonger Charged Under National Security Law

A food delivery driver was dragged from West Kowloon Magistracy shouting democracy slogans and was remanded into custody on Tuesday after becoming the third person to be charged under Hong Kong's national security law.

Ma Chun-man, 30, was bundled away by police as he shouted "Spread the word, democracy is cultivated with blood and sweat" after being charged with "inciting secession".

Prosecutors said Ma was arrested seven times by police between August 15 and November 22 and that he had chanted slogans calling for Hong Kong's independence.

Defence lawyers said Ma lost his job last month and lived at home with his parents and brother.

Their request for bail was denied and Ma was remanded into custody until his next court appearance in February.

More than 30 people have been now arrested under the national security law, but Ma is only the third person to be charged.

Tong Ying-kit was the first national security suspect taken to court. He allegedly drove a motorbike into police while flying a pro-independence flag on July 1 and is accused of terrorism and secession.

The second was Tony Chung, a 19-year-old former independence activist charged with secession for comments he allegedly made on social media.

Like Ma, Tong and Chung were also denied bail under a controversial rule set out in the new law.

Article 42 of the law states that bail must be denied unless the judge or magistrate "has sufficient grounds for believing that the criminal suspect or defendant will not continue to commit acts endangering national security". (Additional reporting by AFP)