Hong Kong teen gets probation for 'seditious' toilet graffiti

A Hong Kong man diagnosed with autism has received a rare non-custodial sentence for a national security offense. Leung Kai-lok, 19, was handed an 18-month probation order for writing "seditious words" in a Tsim Sha Tsui bathroom.

The messages, scrawled on cubicle walls between July 17 and 21 last year, included "Bomb Lee Ka-chiu to death" and an abbreviated version of the 2019 protest slogan "Liberate Hong Kong, the Revolution of Our Times." Courts have previously ruled this phrase carries seditious intent.

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the influence of Leung’s behaviour was limited as he had written the messages in a bathroom, compared to if they had been posted online or in another public place.

Magistrate Victor So noted that the influence of Leung's actions was limited because the messages were confined to a bathroom, unlike online posts or public displays. He also stated there was no evidence of "deep-rooted anti-social traits" and that Leung's four weeks in remand were sufficient for him to grasp the consequences of his actions.

In addition to probation, Leung must pay HK$1,500 in damages. Sedition under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance carries a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment, or ten years if collusion with an "external force" is proven. Jail time is the default for national security offenses, making non-custodial sentences exceptionally uncommon.

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no evidence that Leung had any “deep-rooted anti-social traits,” and the four weeks he spent in remand was enough for him to understand the consequences of breaking the law