Students Sentenced for Hong Kong Anti-Government Bomb Plot, Including Minors

Four students in Hong Kong, two of whom are minors, have received sentences on Thursday for their involvement in a plot to detonate bombs in public spaces as part of an anti-government campaign.

The oldest defendant was handed a prison term of over five years, while the other three were sent to juvenile rehabilitation centers. The case falls under the jurisdiction of the national security law imposed by China in 2020 to suppress dissent in the city.

The group, known as “Returning Valiant,” advocated for Hong Kong’s independence from China and called for resistance after the enactment of the security law. They allegedly planned to create explosive devices using TATP and target public areas, including court buildings. However, their plans were foiled when they were arrested by Hong Kong’s national security police in July of the same year.

The senior judge, Alex Lee, stated that the 21-year-old defendant, Alexander Au, had greater culpability due to his involvement in various aspects of the plot, including renting a room, planning, preparation, and reconnaissance of targeted buildings. Au received a sentence of five years and eight months in prison.

The other three defendants, aged 17 to 18, were considered lesser participants in the conspiracy and had failed to obtain the necessary ingredients for TATP. They will be placed in training centers, which are rehabilitative facilities for juveniles aged 14 to 20, with their length of stay determined by evaluations conducted by correctional officers.

The group pleaded guilty to the charge of “conspiracy to cause an explosion,” which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment under Hong Kong’s crimes ordinance, instead of the more severe charge of “conspiracy to carry out terrorist activities,” which could result in a life sentence under the security law.

Further legal proceedings are pending for four other individuals, aged 19 to 26, in the bomb plot case.

This was the second case brought using Hong Kong’s national security law where minors were convicted and sentenced.

The first national security case involving minors concluded in October, with four teenagers – also members of Returning Valiant – sentenced to detention in a juvenile training center.

They had pleaded guilty to “conspiracy to incite subversion” over public speeches about revolutions.

The national security law was imposed after Hong Kong was shaken by huge and often violent pro-democracy protests in 2019.

Authorities have said it was needed to restore stability and order, but according to critics, Hong Kong has seen its autonomous status and freedoms steadily eroded since it came into force.