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Gordon Ng

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Gordon Ng
吳政亨
Ng, jailed, in 2021
Born (1978-09-09) 9 September 1978 (age 46)
NationalityHong Kong
Australia
Other namesLee Bak Lou
Known forHong Kong 47
Criminal chargesConspiracy to commit subversion
WebsiteGordon Ng on LIHKG
Gordon Ng on Facebook
Gordon Ng on Instagram
In this Hong Kong name, the surname is Ng. In accordance with Hong Kong custom, the Western-style name is Gordon Ng and the Chinese-style name is Ng Ching-hang.

Gordon Ng Ching-hang (Chinese: 吳政亨, born 9 September 1978),[1] also known under the pseudonym Lee Bak Lou (Chinese: 李伯盧; Jyutping: Lei5 Baak3 Lou4), is a Hong Kong pro-democracy activist. Ng, the only nonpartisan defendant of the Hong Kong 47,[1] is charged and now detained under the national security law for conspiracy to commit subversion.

Career

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After graduating from an Australian university, Ng worked in investment companies between 2009 and 2016,[2] much of his work being related to hedge funds.

In 2016, he became a volunteer of ThunderGo, a strategic electoral plan proposed by legal scholar Benny Tai.[3]

Ng was known in LIHKG, one of Hong Kong's most popular online forums, as "Lee Bak Lou", a phonetic translation of "liberal".[4] Without any prior electoral and political experiences, he initiated the petition "Say No to Primary Dodgers" (Chinese: 三投三不投; lit. 'Three vote', 'three don't vote')[a] in the run-up of the 2020 pro-democracy primaries, hoping the pro-democracy camp would unite and secure a majority in the Legislative Council after the legislative election.[5] Helping Tai to formulate the plan for the primaries, Ng also published a front-page advertisement on Apple Daily and wrote to politicians to gather support for his initiative.[3]

With the conclusion of the primaries, Ng continued his political activism under the name of "Legco Petition".[6]

Arrest

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Ng was arrested on 6 January 2021 by the national security police for organising the primaries on suspicion of "subversion of state power". Although released on police bail, he, along with 46 others which would collectively be known as Hong Kong 47, was re-arrested on 28 February, and charged with conspiracy to commit subversion of the state power. He has since been remanded in custody after his bail applications were turned down by court.[7][8] Ng is also the only defendant reserving the 8-day bail review rights,[9] and requesting a committal proceedings to review whether he could be transferred to High Court.[10]

According to the Australian Government, Australian officials were repeatedly refused consular access to an Australian-Chinese dual national because Hong Kong no longer recognised dual citizenship.[11] Local media later identified Ng as the person concerned.[12]

Do I think I have committed a crime? I don't, I absolutely don't. Therefore, I have decided, not to plead guilty.
And for other uncertainties, as they are unescapable, I can only courageously face them.
I am ready to face the largest battle of my life in the battlefield of court.
I fear, but I don't retreat.

— Gordon Ng, The decision of pleading guilty or not[13]

Ng is the only organiser not pleading guilty to the charge, which carries the maximum penalty of life imprisonment for "principal offender" or those committing "an offence of a grave nature".[14] Ng believed he could be locked up in prison for 20 years,[15] citing multiple concerns and factors including the reaction from the Australian Government.[16]

In the trial, Ng was accused by the prosecution to be a supporter of Tai and that his voting strategy "formed the backbone of the primary election" for making the primaries binding.[17][18]

On 30 May 2024, Ng was found guilty of subversion in the primaries case, along with 13 other defendants.[19]

Notes

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  1. ^ Vote in primaries, vote in general election, vote for primaries' winners; don't vote for those not supporting, joining, or obeying the primaries

References

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  1. ^ a b "【初選47人案】吳政亨獄中過生日 食私飯當禮物 友人嘆：希望係最後一次". Inmedia. 2021-09-09.
  2. ^ "Webb-site Who's Who: positions of Ng, Gordon Ching Hang 吳政亨". webb-site.com. Retrieved 2023-02-18.
  3. ^ a b 凌子淇, 朱棨新 (2023-02-07). "初選案｜吳政亨被指是關鍵角色 以李伯盧之名行事 有份設計計劃". 香港01 (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  4. ^ "「李伯盧」名字由來 與 #討論軼事". Facebook (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 吳政亨（李伯盧）關注組. Archived from the original on 2023-02-19. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  5. ^ "素人發起聯署 促增民主派初選約束力 冀奪最多議席". Inmedia. 2020-06-05.
  6. ^ "47民主派被控︱絕不妥協 政治素人吳政亨5.31出庭前感想：沒有任何鐵鎖鎖得住靈魂". 聞庫. Apple Daily. 2021-05-30. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  7. ^ "Bail rejected for seven Hong Kong opposition figures ahead of subversion trial". South China Morning Post. 2021-06-01. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  8. ^ Ho, Kelly (2022-09-14). "Hong Kong activist denied bail pending trial in subversion case involving 47 democrats". Hong Kong Free Press. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  9. ^ "民主派初選案 吳政亨放棄保釋申請但保留覆核保釋權利". Now News (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  10. ^ "47人案｜律政司確認吳政亨周三交付高院 所有被告程序完成 高院暫未有審期" (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). The Witness. 2022-07-08. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  11. ^ "DFAT confirms Australian man has fallen foul of Hong Kong's National Security Law". ABC News. 2022-02-07. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  12. ^ "民主派初選47人案｜消息稱吳政亨被拒與澳洲領事館職員會面". Ming Pao (in Chinese (Hong Kong)). 2022-02-08. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  13. ^ "認罪與不認罪之間的決擇". Facebook. 吳政亨（李伯盧）關注組. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  14. ^ "Article 22" . The Law of the People's Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region  – via Wikisource.
  15. ^ "【Emily】邵家臻首探望 初選案吳政亨：有可能囚20年 - 20210827 - 港聞". Ming Pao (in Traditional Chinese). Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  16. ^ "【初選47人案】5人被指「組織者」 僅吳政亨不認罪：我恐懼，但我不退". Inmedia. 2022-08-18.
  17. ^ Ho, Kelly (2023-02-07). "Hong Kong 47: Activist's voting campaign formed 'backbone' of unofficial primaries, nat. security trial hears". Hong Kong Free Press HKFP. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  18. ^ "47人案｜控方指戴耀廷視35+為手段實現攬炒 庭上播協調會議枱底拍攝片段 - 法庭線 The Witness". 2023-02-07. Retrieved 2023-02-19.
  19. ^ Pang, Jessie; Pomfret, James (2024-05-30). "'Hong Kong 47' trial: 14 democrats found guilty in landmark subversion case". Reuters. Retrieved 2024-06-17.
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