Hong Kong internet radio host booked under draconian security law over 'seditious intent' denied bail

Hong Kong internet radio host, who was arrested for being part of a fundraising campaign that paid for young pro-democracy protesters to study in Taiwan, for "seditious intent" under the draconian National Security Law, has been denied bail.

According to South China Morning Post, Edmund Wan Yiu-sing, who is also known as "Giggs", on Wednesday appeared in court on the charges of acting with seditious intent, stemming from what he said during programmes he presented on four occasions between August and October last year.

The four charges stemmed from Section 10 of the Crimes Ordinance, which forbids doing, attempting to do or conspiring to do any act with seditious intention. The media outlet reported that The four shows linked to the charges were said to have aired on August 8, August 15, September 5 and October 10.

Chief Magistrate Victor So Wai-tak rejected Wan's application for bail, reminding the defendant that he could renew his bid at the higher Court of First Instance. The case will return to the same court on May 10.

The radio personality's supporters called out his nickname and shouted encouragement as soon as he walked into the courtroom and among the demonstrators were his family, Cardinal Joseph Zen Ze-kiun, ousted opposition lawmaker "Long Hair" Leung Kwok-hung and district councillor Jimmy Sham Tsz-kit.

The court heard Wan -- who was charged for having the intention "to bring into hatred or contempt or to excite disaffection" against the Chinese Communist Party and the Hong Kong Government.

South China Morning Post reported that his radio broadcasts were allegedly intended to "raise discontent or disaffection", "counsel disobedience to law or any lawful order", or "excite inhabitants of Hong Kong to attempt to procure the alteration, otherwise than by lawful means, of any other matter in Hong Kong as by law established".

The internet radio host, who had been part of a fundraising campaign that paid for young protesters to study in Taiwan, was arrested on Sunday for "seditious intent" under the draconian National Security Law.

According to a report by South China Morning Post, Wan Yiu-sing, better known as "Giggs", a programme host on the internet radio channel D100, was arrested on Hong Kong Island on Sunday for "seditious intent".

However, the police did not reveal the acts that constituted such an offence.

Wan had launched the online radio show 'A Thousand Fathers and Mothers: Taiwan Education Aid' last February, using it to discuss topics in support of the 2019 anti-government protest movement and to call on viewers to donate funds for the education and living expenses of young Hong Kong protesters fleeing to Taiwan, SCMP reported.

This is the second time that the host has been arrested.

He was earlier arrested in November last year after being accused of "illegally embezzling some of the donations or sending them to orgsations that advocated secessionist activities".

Millions of Hongkongers had demonstrated peacefully against the extradition bill in June 2019, but over weeks and months, some subsequent protests became more violent as the administration of Chief Executive Carrie Lam refused to acknowledge the demands of the opposition.

The draconian security law imposed by Beijing on Hong Kong that criminalises any act of secession (breaking away from China), subversion (undermining the power or authority of the central government), terrorism, and collusion with foreign forces, with punishments of up to life in prison. It came into effect from July 1, 2020.

Since then, a number of former pro-democracy lawmakers have been arrested.

( With inputs from ANI )