Hong Kong democracy activist defiant during landmark trial: ‘No one wants to be ruled by totalitarian regime’

Ng Kin-wai tells court that he ‘will not apologise for the beliefs and values he shares with his voters’

Pro-democracy district councillor Ng Kin-wai (back R) (AFP via Getty Images)

A Hong Kong democracy activist who is the first to defend himself in person during a landmark national security trial has said he “will not apologise for the beliefs and values I share with my voters.”

Former district councillor Ng Kin-wai is one of 47 people who were charged three years ago with “conspiracy to subvert the state power” as part of a crackdown on dissent under a national security law imposed by China. Mr Ng said at another point in the hearing: “I believe no one wants to be ruled by a totalitarian regime".

The eight women and 39 men were accused of trying to “overthrow” the government by participating in an unofficial primary poll in 2020 to select opposition candidates in local elections. The national security law, which came into force in 2020, specifies sentences for the offence ranging from three years to life, depending on culpability.

Mr Ng told the court on Tuesday: “I will not apologise for the beliefs and values I share with my voters.”

This remark prompted judge Alex Lee to ask if he had “no remorse”. The 28-year-old replied: “Correct,” and added: “As a politician, I expect myself to be responsible, to do my best, to stay till the last.” Judge Andrew Chan said: “Today is a mitigation hearing. Today is not an occasion for you to express your political view”.

The mitigation hearings began in June, after 14 of the 16 defendants who pleaded not guilty were convicted in May. Judge Chan said Mr Ng would be entitled to a concession that would be “significantly less than others”, given his late plea and lack of remorse.

Pro-democracy activist known as Grandma Wong outside the court where the Hong Kong 47 are on trial (AFP via Getty Images)

Mr Ng won a seat in the council of Yuen Long, a border district near China, in 2019. He later won over 20,500 votes in a pre-selection ballot for candidates to stand in Hong Kong’s legislative election, which was postponed.

He told the court he joined the unofficial primary because he wanted a “peaceful, rational and nonviolent” way to realise his dream of “a free, equal and inclusive society with a democratic system”.

Mr Ng said he believes that everyone “should have, and deserve, a free, equal and inclusive society, and a democratic system that effectively safeguards human rights, the rule of law and justice.”

Authorities accuse the 47 activists of planning to coerce the government into fulfilling the demands of protesters, who came out in large numbers onto the streets in 2019, by threatening to indiscriminately block the budget after gaining a legislative majority with candidates selected in the primary election.

But Mr Ng told the court it would have been “impossible” to do this without “the mandate of the whole city and the citizens.” He also said he was unaware that vetoing the budget was illegal until his arrest in January 2021.

The protesters' demands, such as immediate realisation of universal suffrage, were “reasonable, and have not been found illegal by any court,”Mr Ng said. He urged the court to consider that when the primary election took place, violent street clashes between protesters and police had lasted for a long time.

Mr Ng had not wished to see people getting injured, arrested, or sacrificing themselves because of political incidents, he added.

A date has not been set for sentencing.

Reuters and Associated Press contributed to this report