Man jailed for 10 months after throwing ‘seditious’ leaflets from public housing flat

A 55-year-old construction worker in Hong Kong has been sentenced to 10 months in jail after pleading guilty to seditious acts. Raymond Wong was found to have thrown anti-government leaflets from his public housing unit on two separate occasions in October 2024 and December 2025. His actions fall under Hong Kong's national security law, also known as Article 23.

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premeditated and planned to some degree.

Wong admitted to the charges at the West Kowloon Magistrates’ Court. In his defense, his lawyers cited a psychological report indicating he struggled to control resentment stemming from job loss after the 2019 protests and the COVID-19 pandemic. They argued his methods were "primitive" and had limited impact compared to online activities. Wong also apologized to his family, as his offense could lead to the government reclaiming their public housing unit.

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his methods were “primitive” and had limited impact compared with online posts.

Chief Magistrate Victor So stated that Wong's actions were "premeditated and planned to some degree." The leaflets found included slogans like "kill police," derogatory remarks about mainland Chinese people, and secessionist messages such as "Liberate Hong Kong, do not vote." The magistrate emphasized that Wong explicitly incited enmity towards police, mainland residents, and government officials, using "derogatory" and "dehumanizing" language.

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Wong explicitly incited people to kill police officers, mainland Chinese, and government officials.

So added that the "Liberate Hong Kong" slogan challenged national sovereignty, and the calls to boycott the Legislative Council elections undermined public confidence in the city's electoral system. The magistrate pointed out that Wong's incitement to kill police officers and mainland residents was a serious offense. The court noted that the turnout for the 2025 Legislative Council elections was the second-lowest on record, at 31.9 percent, following electoral reforms in 2021 that ensured only "patriotic" candidates could run.

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his use of the slogan “Liberate Hong Kong,” considered secessionist under Beijing’s national security law in Hong Kong, also challenged national sovereignty.