Hong Kong’s first national security law convict among 4 released early, sources say

The first person convicted in Hong Kong under the Beijing-imposed national security law and three others jailed in related high-profile cases have been released early, the South China Morning Post has learned.

Sources said Tong Ying-kit, who was sentenced in July 2021 to nine years in prison for inciting secession and engaging in terrorist activities, had been granted early release.

The news emerged three years after Tong expressed regret in an official television documentary produced by the Security Bureau while he was in prison. He said he had been misled by false information during the 2019 unrest.

The other three granted early release were former Apple Daily publisher Cheung Kim-hung, paralegal Chan Tsz-wah and “Hong Kong Story” activist Andy Li Yu-hin, according to sources.

All three were defendants in the national security case involving Apple Daily founder Jimmy Lai Chee-ying.

The SCMP learned that Chan was released in June and Li in September.

Cheung, a key prosecution witness in Lai’s national security trial, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to collude with foreign or external forces to endanger national security. He was sentenced to six years and nine months in prison and had been expected to remain behind bars until 2028.

On Sunday, Cheung, 64, appeared in a report by mainland Chinese broadcaster Phoenix TV as a “rehabilitated person”, taking part in a Shenzhen study tour organised by Hong Kong’s Correctional Services Department (CSD).

Cheung told the broadcaster he was excited to see the mainland’s autonomous driving technology.

Asked on Sunday whether Cheung had been granted early release, the department said it would not comment on individual cases.

Li and Chan were sentenced to seven years and three months and six years and three months, respectively, after pleading guilty and cooperating as prosecution witnesses.

Li had initially been expected to be released in 2028, while Chan had been due for release next year.

Following the enactment of the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance under Article 23 in 2024, Hong Kong significantly tightened the conditions for granting early release to national security prisoners.

The commissioner of correctional services must be satisfied that early release would not compromise national security.

Responding to questions about Cheung on Sunday, the CSD said the mainland exchange visit was a flagship project under its “Path to Rehabilitation” programme.

It said the programme aimed to strengthen rehabilitated individuals’ awareness of national security and commitment to the rule of law through a range of structured activities.