The governer of Hong Kong’s governing journalists party was sentenced on Monday to five days jail for causing disturbance to police officers in September previous year after a case seen by some critics as a further blow to media freedoms in the financial hub. Ronson Chan, chairman of the Hong Kong Journalists Association, was removed and handcuffed by two plainclothes officers whilst covering a story after he couldn’t succeed in handing over his personal identity card.
Chan, who claimed to be not guilty, previously told the court that he had told the police to show them their warrant cards before giving away his document, which all Hong Kong residents must have. Magistrate Leung Ka-kie discovered Chan guilty, revealing that a fine instead of jail would not be successful in showing the gravity of the unlawful thing done.
Leung also rejected to understand and include community service instead as she said Chan revealed no sadness. Leung did provide Chan HK$30,000 ($3,838.48) bail after his lawyers said he would request. The journalists have no right to leave Hong Kong and had to give away his travel related documents.