Kenneth Lau
Friday, August 01, 2014
Eleven people arrested after a peaceful but illegal occupation of a street in Central after the July 1 march, were yesterday released "unconditionally."
However the group, comprising mainly students, were told the police reserved the right to charge them in future.
Among those released were Federation of Students secretary general Alex Chow Yong-kang, Labour Party lawmaker Lee Cheuk-yan and Democratic Party lawmaker Albert Ho Chun-yan.
Hundreds of protesters took part in the sit-in on Chater Road after the march in what appeared to be a dress rehearsal for Occupy Central.
They were forcibly removed by police in the early hours of July 2 and 511 were arrested.
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Of those on bail, 11 were required to report to Central Police Station yesterday but had vowed to refuse to extend their bail terms, preferring instead to be charged.
Several others on bail are expected to report to the police today.
Civil Human Rights Front convener Johnson Yeung Ching-yin said he was prepared to bear the criminal responsibility for civil disobedience but would not tolerate the use of the bail mechanism to stifle their personal freedom.
"It could take a year or two before they charge us and during that time we will be expected to report to the police regularly, which will hinder our social movement," he said.
Chow said he was told the police were still gathering evidence. "They said they will release us without any conditions. However, if they find enough evidence in future they will charge us."
Lee also described the use of bail as harassment. He believed that refusing to extend bail would show his willingness and determination to fight for real universal suffrage.
A police spokesman said that since the case was still under investigation, it was decided to release the 11 suspects.
University of Hong Kong law professor Eric Cheung Tat-ming said the police should follow their internal guidelines under which they are required to tell the litigant whether he or she will be charged or released without conditions when they have finished an investigation.
