Commentator charged with disclosing nat. security probe says unaware investigation was underway

A Hong Kong political commentator charged with revealing details of a national security probe has testified that he did not believe an investigation was underway.

Wong Kwok-ngon, known by his pen name Wong On-yin, continued his testimony at the District Court on Tuesday.

The 72-year-old, who is representing himself, was arrested last December after publishing two YouTube videos discussing a meeting with national security police that took place the day before.

Revealing details of a national security investigation is a crime under the Safeguarding National Security Ordinance (SNSO), the city’s homegrown security law known locally as Article 23.

National security police had brought him in to discuss a press conference about the fatal Wang Fuk Court fire, which had occurred days earlier, at which Wong was scheduled to speak.

In response to the prosecution’s questions, Wong confirmed that he did say in his video that he met the officers at Mong Kok Police Station, and that he described their ages and appearances.

But he said he had put in considerable thought before publishing the videos, and that it was his judgement that police were not carrying out an investigation. Wong said he believed the meeting’s purpose was just for officers to stop the press conference from going ahead.

Wong added that officers asked him what he planned to talk about during the press conference – which was eventually called off – and whether he had collaborated with any organisations.

Therefore, he did not think there was a problem with talking about the meeting, he said.

He also told the court that police handed him a confidentiality agreement during the meeting, but that he “basically did not look at it.”

Media reports

Tuesday marked the 12th day of the trial, in which Wong is representing himself. During the first day of his testimony, he told the court that he held bachelor’s and master’s degrees in law.

On Tuesday, Wong also said he did not consider it an act of disclosure when the information being discussed was already known to the public.

Wong said the media had already reported the news that he had been taken in by national security police.

When asked by the prosecution whether what he said in the videos – including the people he met with and what was discussed – went beyond what was reported in the media, Wong agreed.

Wong also faces a sedition charge in relation to 30 commentary videos he posted between January and December last year.

Tuesday’s hearing began with Wong playing four videos from his YouTube channel that were not among those 30.

In those four videos, Wong talked about topics such as the Wang Fuk Court fire. For example, he spoke on controversies in renovation projects and the removal of four investigative articles by state-backed outlet Ta Kung Pao about the construction at the housing estate.

He told the court he wanted to give a more complete picture of his commentary, and that he had never incited the public to take part in any action.

The trial will continue on Wednesday.

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Hillary Leung is a journalist at Hong Kong Free Press, where she reports on local politics and social issues, and assists with editing. Since joining in late 2021, she has covered the Covid-19 pandemic, political court cases including the 47 democrats national security trial, and challenges faced by minority communities.

Born and raised in Hong Kong, Hillary completed her undergraduate degree in journalism and sociology at the University of Hong Kong. She worked at TIME Magazine in 2019, where she wrote about Asia and overnight US news before turning her focus to the protests that began that summer. At Coconuts Hong Kong, she covered general news and wrote features, including about a Black Lives Matter march that drew controversy amid the local pro-democracy movement and two sisters who were born to a domestic worker and lived undocumented for 30 years in Hong Kong.