Two autistic men admit secession charges over Hong Kong independence group

Two autistic men have pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit secession in Hong Kong for their involvement with a pro-independence group. Chan Tai-sum, 27, and Ng Chi-tung, 25, admitted to being active members of the Taiwan-based Hong Kong Democratic Independence Union between November 2024 and July 2025.

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how he had joined the group in order to obtain political asylum in Canada

The group advocates for Hong Kong's independence from China. During police questioning, Chan stated he joined to seek political asylum in Canada, while Ng cited curiosity. Investigators found chat logs on their phones indicating communication with other members and Chan's contributions to the group's logo and charter.

The defense team emphasized the defendants' autism spectrum disorder in mitigation. Chan has received treatment since age 12, and Ng was diagnosed in primary school. Chan's lawyer also noted his previous year-long jail sentence for sedition in 2022, which led to his isolation after release.

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curiosity

District Judge Ernest Lin remanded both men in custody, detaining them since their arrest in July of the previous year. Sentencing is scheduled for July 29. A third, younger defendant, aged 16, received a three-and-a-half-year sentence in December for the same offense. The maximum penalty for secession is life imprisonment, but District Court sentences are capped at seven years. The Hong Kong Democratic Independence Union and a Canada-based group were banned last December on national security grounds for promoting "self-determination" and seeking to overthrow China's political system.

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isolated