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Two Hong Kong protesters have been charged with wearing masks during protests on Sunday.
Following weeks of protests, the government invoked the colonial-era Emergency Regulations Ordinance to enact an anti-mask law, with maximum penalty of a year in jail.
The cases, the first of their kind since the law was enacted, were brought to the Eastern Magistrates’ Courts at 9.30am on Monday – the Chung Yeung Festival holiday. Around 100 protesters appeared at the court to support the pair.
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The two protesters charged included an 18-year-old male university student and a 38-year-old female – both were arrested in early hours of Saturday in Kwun Tong. They were also charged with one count of unlawful assembly.
They were allowed bail ten minutes after the court mentioned their cases. Their cases were postponed to November 18.
two people charged with the new face mask ban law were released on bail today. Supporters packed the room and have no opened umbrellas outside the court chanting “Wearing face mask isn’t a crime
The law is unreasonable” pic.twitter.com/m1niJvjbX6— Pak Yiu (@pakwayne) October 7, 2019
The pair are not allowed to leave Hong Kong and they must obey a curfew between 11pm and 6am, live at their registered address, and report to the police once a week.
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The male defendant, an university student, was allowed HK$300 bail and the female defendant was allowed HK$1,000 bail.
Legal challenges have been filed at the High Court against the anti-mask law.
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