Hong Kong insulted the flag member arrested once he was convicted or lost a seat in the Legislative Council
[Sun Yue, special correspondent of Global Times in Hong Kong] Zheng songtai, a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong and chairman of “warm-blooded citizens” of local organizations, reversed the national flag and regional flag in the Legislative Council last year, suspected of insulting the national flag and regional flag, A few days ago, he was arrested and formally prosecuted by the police. The case will be brought to the Eastern Magistrate’s Court on April 18.
According to Hong Kong’s “Oriental Daily” reported on the 12th, Zheng songtai put the the five-starred red flag on the table and the Hong Kong regional flag “upside down” during the Legislative Council meeting last October. After the police consulted the Department of Justice, he decided to charge Zheng songtai with two charges of insulting the national flag and insulting the regional flag. On the 10th, he was informed to go to the police station for “appointment prosecution”, but Zheng songtai claimed that he would not go to the police station on his own. The Hong Kong police arrested Zheng songtai at 10 pm on the 11th before he prepared to host the network show, and escorted him back to Cheung Sha Wan police station, then went to the Central District police station for prosecution. Zheng songtai was released on bail in the early morning of the 12th. Dozens of “warm-blooded citizens” members went to the Central District police station for solidarity.
The incident happened at the Legislative Council meeting held on October 19 last year. At that time, the members of the formed system were sent out collectively to prevent the “members of the state from abusing the country” at that time “, from the” youth New Deal “, Yuyu and Liang Song Hengzhong took a new oath, during which Zheng songtai put the national flag and District flag on the table with the members of the formation system. Zheng songtai received an assistant notice on the 10th that the police formally sued him for insulting the national flag and insulting the regional flag.
Oriental Daily said that according to the laws and regulations of Hong Kong on national flags and regional flags, anyone publicly and intentionally Burns, damages, paints, tarnishes, tramples and other ways to insult the national flag, national emblem, Regional Flag and Regional Emblem, he shall be guilty of an offence. Upon conviction, he shall be liable to a maximum fine of HK $50,000 and imprisonment for 3 years. Ming Pao said that two members of the “youth New Deal” in this legislative council were disqualified as members of parliament, and another five members were at risk of losing seats in judicial review. Zheng songtai is now facing prosecution. According to relevant regulations, if a member is convicted of a criminal offence and sentenced to imprisonment for more than one month, he can be dismissed by a 2/3 majority of the members present in the Legislative Council, therefore, once Zheng songtai is guilty, there may be a risk of losing seats.
Zheng songtai claimed that this was the “political liquidation” of Hong Kong government before Zheng Yu’e, the president-designate, took office “. However, Liu Guoxun, a member of the Legislative Council of the Federation of Civil Construction who called the police on this matter, believed that the prosecution by the police was appropriate and reasonable. In recent years, many local and “Hong Kong independence” demonstrators had insulted the national flag. This time, Zheng songtai was prosecuted, it can serve as a warning.
The Legislative Council of Hong Kong had set up a committee to investigate the incident earlier. Liang Meifen, chairman of the investigation committee, said that when the committee looked through the video clips of that day earlier and found that Zheng songtai had inserted the national flag upside down, some people present dissuaded him twice, but Zheng songtai continued, so he thought his motive of insulting the national flag was clear. The chairman of the Legislative Council, Liang Junyan, said that Members’ remarks in the Legislative Council meeting were protected by the Legislative Council (powers and privileges) Ordinance, but other acts were responsible to himself and the public. If necessary, the Legislative Council will try its best to assist the police in the investigation.
1124
[Global Times special correspondent Sun Yue in Hong Kong] Zheng songtai, a member of the Legislative Council of Hong Kong and chairman of the local organization “warm-blooded citizen”, reversed the national flag and regional flag in the Legislative Council last year, suspected of insulting the national flag and regional flag, A few days ago, he was arrested and formally prosecuted by the police.