Hong Kong Court Jails Two Men Up to 38 Months for Pro-Independence Secession Plot

Hong Kong Secession Conspiracy Sentencing

Hong Kong’s District Court has sentenced two men with autism to up to three years and two months in prison for their involvement in a pro-independence group seeking to separate the city from Chinese sovereignty. [1] District Judge Ernest Lin Kam-hung on Thursday found that courier Chan Tai-sum, 27, and waiter Ng Chi-tung, 25, had been deeply involved in the Taiwan-based Hong Kong Democratic Independence Union between November 2024 and July 2025. [1] He said the pair had jointly devised a “full plan” to advance the group’s objectives, although it had not been carried out. [1] Both defendants had earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit secession. [1]

Details of the Pro-Independence Group

Founded by a fugitive, the union advocates Hong Kong’s “liberation” from mainland Chinese rule, seeks international recognition for a self-proclaimed “Hong Kong Parliament” and calls for the establishment of an army to “restore and defend” the city. [1] The group was based in Taiwan and operated during the period from November 2024 to July 2025. [1] The judge noted that the defendants had been deeply involved in the organisation during that timeframe. [1]

Roles Played by the Two Defendants

Both defendants had served as advisers within the organisation. [1] Chan was responsible for designing promotional materials, establishing ties with foreign organisations and compiling personal data on police officers and their families. [1] The pair jointly devised a full plan to advance the group’s objectives, though the plan was not carried out. [1] Judge Lin Kam-hung handed down the sentences after the guilty pleas. [1]

Related Crime Developments Across Asia

Four Chinese nationals have claimed trial over the kidnapping of a Singaporean man in Penang. [2] In Indonesia’s Sumbawa district, the local government has halted illegal mining operations in Lawang Tuwa after an accident killed three people and injured six others. [3] The incident occurred on Saturday at about 9:30 p.m. local time when rocks and soil collapsed onto miners collecting material below a cliff. [3] In India, an ex-serviceman was arrested in Delhi for allegedly shooting dead a 32-year-old PG operator in Gurgaon over a monetary dispute. [4] The victim was shot in the forehead at point-blank range during an argument on Tuesday evening. [4] The accused, Amarjeet Grewal alias Amarjeet Fauji, had retired from the Indian Army in 2024 and was taken into custody within hours of the shooting. [4]

West African Drug Suspect Repatriated

The NDLEA has arrested and repatriated a suspected drug kingpin, Festus Ibewuike, from Benin Republic after he was on the run for over two years. [5]

What to watch next: Further investigation continues into the Gurgaon shooting as police question the accused and search for the weapon, while Sumbawa authorities monitor the halted mining site to prevent resumption of illegal activity.