- Insurance agent Siu Cheung-lung, 32, is the second defendant accused of inciting violence by managing a social media account since anti-government protests
- Court heard that he had allegedly used Telegram last year to urge followers to attack police and people with opposing political views
The administrator of a Telegram group faced incitement charges in a Hong Kong court on Monday for allegedly provoking others to murder officers and bomb police stations, among other violent acts.
Insurance agent Siu Cheung-lung became the second defendant accused of inciting violence by managing a social media account used for that purpose, since anti-government protests erupted in Hong Kong in June last year over the now-withdrawn extradition bill.
Kwun Tong Court heard that between November 12 and December 9 last year, the defendant had allegedly used Telegram, the mobile application widely used by protesters, to urge followers to attack members of the force and people with opposing political views.
The 32-year-old had also published articles related to the production of explosives and the plans to obstruct railways and public passages in the city, Senior Assistant Director of Public Prosecutions Anthony Chau Tin-hang said.
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Siu faced three counts of incitement to commit wounding with intent, punishable by life imprisonment under the Offences Against the Person Ordinance. He was also charged with incitement to commit public nuisance, a count also faced by nine pro-democracy leaders after the 2014 Occupy movement.
Siu was not required to enter a plea on his first court appearance, as police needed further time to make inquiries, including examinations on some 1,300 messages in the Telegram group.
Acting Principal Magistrate Ivy Chui Yee-mei adjourned the case until May 25 in Eastern Court and remanded Siu in jail custody, after prosecutors objected to his release.
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