Student denied bail again over sedition charge

West Kowloon Court has, for the second time in a week, refused to grant bail to a 17-year-old student, who is charged with conspiracy to publish and distribute seditious materials.

Wong Chun-wai is accused of conspiracy to print, publish, distribute, display or reproduce seditious publications between May and December last year, with prosecutors claiming that his alleged act had endangered national security, despite it being an offence under the Crimes Ordinance instead of the national security law.

Last week, magistrate Victor So had ordered the student to be remanded in custody pending his next hearing set for August 4.

The magistrate rejected Wong’s re-application for bail during a hearing on Tuesday, saying there was no significant change in circumstances that would lead him to believe that the defendant would not “continue to endanger national security”.

Wong was represented by barrister Lawrence Lau, one of the 47 pro-democracy figures charged with conspiracy to commit subversion in connection with the primary polls the pro-democracy camp held last summer to pick candidates for Legco elections that never took place in the end.

Lau was among 11 of the 47 defendants who were freed on bail pending their trial.