A Hong Kong man has been sentenced to one year in jail under the city’s homegrown national security law after pleading guilty to making seditious remarks on Facebook, including comments supporting the independence of Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Raymond Chong entered his plea before national security judge Victor So at West Kowloon Magistrates’ Courts on Tuesday on one count of knowingly publishing publications with a seditious intention under the local security law known as Article 23.
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Sentence Reduced After Guilty Plea
The magistrate said Chong, a retiree in his early 60s, would receive an 18-month sentence, which was reduced by six months after his guilty plea was taken into account. According to the material in the screenshots, Chong was accused of making 53 seditious social media posts between March 2024 and November 2025.
The posts reportedly included phrases such as “dissolving the Chinese Communist Party is the most important thing” and “Hong Kong independence is within sight.” The screenshots state that Chong posted on a public Facebook page called “Holy Raymond,” whose profile picture carried the Chinese phrase “Heaven will destroy the Chinese Communist Party, God bless Hong Kong.”
Defence and Prosecution Arguments
During mitigation ahead of sentencing, Chong’s lawyer argued that he was a Falun Gong believer who had come to hate the Chinese Communist Party because of what the lawyer described as false information that the CCP engaged in live organ harvesting. The defence said Chong had been venting his emotions and sharing his political views, and did not intend to incite anyone or create any real impact.
The defence also argued that, although Chong had 4,677 followers, “barely anyone responded” to the posts. Judge So, however, said the posts tied to the case had drawn more than 650 likes and 90 comments in total, indicating that the attention given to his account was greater than the defence suggested.
Article 23 and the Charge
The offence was brought under Article 23, officially known as the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance, which was passed in March 2024. The law targets treason, insurrection, sabotage, external interference, sedition, theft of state secrets and espionage.
The screenshots identify the charge as one count of knowingly publishing publications with a seditious intention. They also note that the remarks at issue included support for Hong Kong and Taiwan independence, which formed part of the basis for the prosecution under the city’s local national security law.
About the author – Ayesha Aayat is a law student and contributor covering cybercrime, online frauds, and digital safety concerns. Her writing aims to raise awareness about evolving cyber threats and legal responses.
