Hong Kong protestor gets jail

This article is more than 12 months old

Apr 11, 2017 06:00 am

HONG KONG A technician was jailed for four years and nine months yesterday for rioting and arson during anti-China protests here last year, in the harshest punishment yet over the unrest.

The case is the latest in a slew of legal action against demonstrators, and it came soon after new pro-Beijing leader Carrie Lam was elected chief executive of the semi-autonomous city.

Yeung Ka-lun, 32, was pictured in news footage torching a taxi during the February 2016 unrest, which tapped into fears that Beijing is tightening its grip on Hong Kong.

"The court must send a message that these acts cannot be tolerated," said a judge..

He said the protesters shared a goal to disrupt social order and had threatened public safety.

Last month, three activists were jailed for three years on "riot" charges for their role in the same protests. Like Yeung, they were not well-known campaigners. - AFP