A recent court ruling in Hong Kong has resulted in eight individuals receiving sentences ranging from two and a half to four years in prison for their involvement in a riot at a university during the 2019 anti-government protests. Deputy District Judge Peony Wong Nga-yan presided over the case, highlighting the defendants’ proximity to clashes between police and protesters near Polytechnic University on November 18, 2019. These eight individuals were part of a larger group of 213 people arrested near Yau Ma Tei MTR station, with the remaining 200 individuals facing convictions or acquittals. Superintendent Wong Yick-lung from the force’s…

Trade unions in Hong Kong are calling for a halt or review of a scheme that brings in workers from outside the city, following allegations of exploitation of migrant laborers in the construction industry. The government launched the scheme last July to import up to 20,000 workers, mainly from mainland China, for jobs in construction, transport, and aviation to address labor shortages. However, some unions are expressing concerns about its impact on the local workforce. Authorities recently suspended the scheme for importing construction workers, prompting unions to request the withdrawal or early review of the entire program. More than 12,000…

Hong Kong authorities have accused the international legal representatives of former media tycoon Jimmy Lai Chee-ying and his son of defaming the city’s judicial system by appealing to the United Nations over Lai’s “prolonged detention in solitary confinement”. The appeal concerned Jimmy Lai’s solitary confinement and lack of access to medical care, but the government denied these allegations, stating that the legal team’s actions undermined the rule of law. The government expressed strong opposition to the appeal filed to UN Special Rapporteur on Torture Alice Edwards, labeling it as disrespectful to the city’s legal system. Lai, diagnosed with diabetes, was…

A German logistics company is taking legal action against the defunct Apple Daily for allegedly failing to pay storage fees for 471 rolls of imported paper. The paper, ordered before the tabloid’s sudden closure in 2021, is still sitting in a warehouse. The shipping company, Hapag-Lloyd Aktiengesellschaft, and its subsidiary, Hapag-Lloyd (China) Limited, claim that Apple Daily and paper manufacturer Resolute FP US Inc are responsible for the fees incurred due to the delayed collection of the paper since July 2021. The order for the newsprint was placed in May 2021 to be shipped from Montreal, Canada to Hong Kong.…

A Hong Kong radiation therapist, Yeung Sheung-wa, has been sentenced to 13 months in jail for inciting violence against police officers during the 2019 anti-government protests. He was found guilty of one count of inciting to wound with intent for a comment posted on the online platform LIHKG, popular among protesters. In his message, Yeung asked if users wanted to “snatch police’s weapons? Kill the police? attack police?” Deputy District Judge Veronica Heung Shuk-han emphasized that in the charged political atmosphere at the time, such comments could have triggered others to take violent action against police officers. The Wan Chai…

In May of this year, a smartwatch system designed to detect heat stress among cleaners was improved to increase detection time and reduce repetitive warnings. However, Oxfam’s research team found that many cleaners were still unaware of warnings due to not checking their phones at work, leading to instances of heat exhaustion. The NGO aims to expand the project and collaborate with other organizations and relevant government departments. The smartwatches proved effective in raising awareness about rest periods and hydration among workers. The NGO also uncovered that the heat posed a greater risk to older workers with chronic illnesses, emphasizing…

The court recently heard guilty pleas from seven individuals involved in a conspiracy to commit a bombing in Hong Kong. The plot included plans to draw police out onto the street and detonate explosives. Fortunately, the attack was thwarted with the arrest of the main suspects, Wong and Ng. The prosecution argued that the conspiracy began in September and involved military training, weapons testing, and recruitment of a sniper. The defendants faced charges under the UN Anti-Terrorism Ordinance, which carries a possible life sentence. Throughout the trial, evidence from chat messages and testimonies highlighted the defendants’ agreement to use firearms…

A group of care workers from mainland China is seeking help from Hong Kong authorities to retrieve HK$1 million frozen on suspicion of money laundering related to two city currency exchange shops. The Imported Care Worker Mutual Aid Group for Rights Protection reported a surge in cases involving 19 affected workers within the last two months. One victim, “Ah Lai,” shared her distress after Customs turned her away, leaving her without her hard-earned money. She transferred over HK$64,000 to a relative’s account in China, but the funds were frozen by mainland authorities. Another victim, “Ah Lin,” lost HK$13,000 due to…

A shocking case unfolded in Hong Kong as a Swedish businessman, Patrik Tobias Ekstrom, was found guilty of raping his domestic helper in his home. The defence argued that Ekstrom was suffering from bipolar disorder at the time of the crime, shedding light on his mental state. The jury unanimously convicted Ekstrom of rape and buggery without consent in connection with the assault. His lawyer requested a psychiatric evaluation citing the abrupt change in his behavior after his family disintegrated. The court heard that Ekstrom engaged in other criminal activities post-rape, including damaging property and making false reports due to…

In a trial concerning a thwarted bomb plot targeting Hong Kong police, a defence lawyer argued that the defendant’s involvement in the 2019 anti-government protests was not equivalent to the terrorist acts portrayed by prosecutors. The defendant, Lau Pui-ying, is accused of raising funds for the “Dragon Slaying Brigade” but denies the conspiracy charge of providing property for terrorist acts. The defence lawyer highlighted that the prosecution had not sufficiently proved Lau’s awareness of the alleged terrorist activities funded by the brigade. The lawyer emphasized that while the actions were illegal, they did not amount to terrorism in a classic…